Climate Action 2017-2018

climate and energy policy framework.
These files are now being negotiated by the
European Parliament and Council and we
look forward to final agreements, so we can
get legislation in place and therefore lay the
foundations for reaching our 2030 goals.
In Europe, we have a wide range of
policies to drive and enable the shift
towards a low-carbon economy. As part
of our integrated Energy Union, we came
forward late in 2016 with the Clean Energy
for All Europeans package, which will
give a strong push to the clean energy
transition and create jobs and growth.
It will adapt our regulatory framework
to put energy efficiency first and foster
the development of renewable energy.
We have also put forward a proposal on
governance, under which member states
will have to prepare integrated climate and
energy plans, to provide a clear picture
of where we need to go, give investors
certainty and help identify investments
needed for the clean energy transition.
We are also working to transform
mobility in Europe and put the EU transport
sector firmly on a path to sustainability.
Following an ambitious set of proposals in
May – the ‘Europe on the Move’ package –
we have just this month put forward new
CO 2
emissions standards for cars and vans
for 2021 onwards, to stimulate uptake of low
and zero-emission vehicles.
The EU’s experience of implementing
ambitious climate and energy policies in
the past two decades shows that such
action pays off, economically as well
as environmentally. It creates more and
better jobs as well as bringing innovative
technologies and more sustainable
The Clean Energy for All
Europeans package will give a strong
push to the clean energy transition and
create jobs and growth.
products to the market. Today, the EU is the
world’s most CO 2
-efficient large economy,
according to the European Environment
Agency’s emission database (EDGAR).
The strong engagement of businesses,
civil society and cities and regions
continues to be a cornerstone of European
success in driving forward responses to
climate change. And so is the committed
support of our citizens, with a survey
earlier this year showing that three
quarters of Europeans see climate change
as a very serious problem and eight in ten
agree that fighting climate change and
using energy more efficiently can boost
the economy and create jobs.
The extreme temperatures across Europe
in summer 2017 were a stark reminder
that we must also address the impacts
of climate change. We are making good
progress in implementing the EU Strategy
on Adaptation to Climate Change and we
continue to support non-state actors in as
many ways as possible. Our partnerships
already include countless businesses, cities,
local authorities and communities that are
committed to taking concrete action.
The Covenant of Mayors for Climate and
Energy, an alliance of local and regional
authorities voluntarily committed to taking
climate action and sharing experiences,
has exceeded all expectations. Last year
it went global, joining forces with the
Compact of Mayors to create the Global
Covenant of Mayors for Climate and
Energy, and now counts over 7,600 cities.
Now more than ever, the world is
looking to Europe for climate leadership.
So our task is to keep delivering and
driving the low-carbon transition forward –
leading by example.
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POLICY