Raising the EU 2030 GHG emission reduction target: implications for ETS and non-ETS sectoral targets

Abstract

The political debate on raising EU's greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction target for 2030 from at least 40 percent up to 55 percent or even higher is in full swing. While the European Commission has proposed to reduce emissions by at least 55 percent below 1990 levels, the European Parliament went a step further and adopted a target of 60 percent emissions reductions. This paper intends to enrich ongoing debates on the "how" the EU could commit to a 2030 mitigation objective, with the highest ambition possible as committed to the Paris Agreement.