The EU Commission has adopted a proposal for a European “climate law” to make the bloc’s 2050 net zero emissions target legally binding. The regulation, which requires approval from parliament and member states, would commit the EU to reducing its net greenhouse gas emissions to zero by 2050.
The draft law enshrines the EU plan to achieve “climate neutrality by 2050,” Elisa Ferreira, the commissioner in charge of supporting poorer regions of the bloc, tweeted on Wednesday.
Swedish activist Greta Thunberg and NGOs said more urgent action was needed. Thunberg, 17, said the law fails to address the next 10 years, Reuters reported.
“‘Net zero emissions by 2050’ for the EU equals surrender. It means giving up,” she and 33 other youth climate activists said in an open letter published on Tuesday.