European Union unveils climate plan to cut emissions by 55% by 2030

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July 14 (UPI) — The European Union on Wednesday unveiled a sweeping plan to cut greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% by 2030.

The group of proposals, collectively titled the European Green Deal, includes pledges to effectively phase out gasoline and diesel vehicles within the next 14 years, raising the price of fossil fuels and imposing tariffs on imports of goods that contribute to pollution.

“The fossil fuel economy has reached its limits,” Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, said in a statement. “We want to leave the next generation a healthy planet as well as good jobs and growth that does not hurt our nature. The European Green Deal is our growth strategy that is moving toward a decarbonized economy.”

Under the plan, the European Commission calls for requiring average emissions of new cars to be reduced by 55% current levels beginning in 2030 and 100% in 2035 resulting in all new cars registered as of 2035 in the 27-nation bloc being zero-emission.

To facilitate the transition the proposal also requires member states to expand electric vehicle charging capacity in line with zero-emission car sales and install fueling points at regular intervals on major highways.

The plan will also alter the Energy Taxation Directive to promote clean technologies and remove exemptions and reduced rates that promote the use of fossil fuels.

“The new rules aim at reducing the harmful effects of energy tax competition, helping secure revenues for member states from green taxes, which are less detrimental to growth than taxes on labor,” the commission said.

Lastly, the plan imposes a carbon price on imports of a limited number of high-polluting goods based on their carbon content to prevent “carbon leakage” as a result of the proposals and “ensure that European emission reductions contribute to a global emissions decline.”

“This is the make-or-break decade in the fight against the climate and biodiversity crises,” said Frans Timmermans, executive vice president for the European Green Deal. “

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