Environmental campaigners challenge EU emissions rules in court
Environmental campaigners have taken legal action against the European Commission, contesting the bloc’s emissions rules for 2030 in a bid to compel the EU to bolster its climate policy. The case, filed with the Court of Justice of the European Union’s General Court, was announced on Tuesday by the Climate Action Network and the Global Legal Action Network (GLAN).
The groups argue that the national greenhouse gas emission limits for sectors such as transport and agriculture set by the EU are unlawful and insufficient to meet the Paris Agreement’s target of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.
Gerry Liston, a lawyer with GLAN, criticized the EU’s 2030 targets, stating, “We have outlined how the EU’s 2030 targets were not derived from best available climate science.”
The European Commission, in a written defense submitted in July, has requested that the court dismiss the claims as inadmissible. The Commission’s spokesperson declined to comment on the ongoing legal proceedings.
The contested limits mandate EU member states to reduce emissions in the affected sectors by 10% to 50% from 2005 levels, aiming to contribute to the EU’s overall target of a 55% reduction in net emissions by 2030, compared to 1990 levels. However, scientists have warned that global emissions must be halved by 2030 to meet the 1.5C goal. Campaigners assert that, as a major historical polluter, the EU should be more ambitious in its targets.
The sectors in question have less stringent goals compared to other areas like power generation and industry, which are required to cut emissions by over 60% by 2030 from 2005 levels.
The court has granted the case priority status, which could lead to a hearing in 2025. The case, initially filed in February, was only recently made public. The court has not yet explained why it prioritized this case over others.
