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European Green Deal

The “Fit for 55 Package”

The EU has adopted a climate law enshrining its new climate targets of at least a 55% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 compared to 1990 levels and net zero by 2050. The European Commission published its first part of the “Fit for 55” package in July 2021 to enable the EU to meet those targets. The second part was released in December 2021.

The Fit for 55 Package encompasses a suite of legislative initiatives across various sectors, including energy, transport and buildings, which is intended to fundamentally overhaul the EU’s climate policy framework and put the EU on track to deliver on its 2030 climate target of 55%. For an overview on what is expected, see our blog post here.

Below we set out short summaries of each of the key pieces of legislation which will be updated regularly.

Key legislation – July package

Key legislation – December package

The Energy Performance of Buildings Directive

The Energy Performance of Buildings Directive proposal sets an ambitious target, namely, that, as of 2030, all new buildings must be zero-emission and, as of 2027, all new ‘public’ buildings (i.e. those built for use by the public sector) must also be zero-emission. The intention is that these new buildings will consume little energy, be powered by renewables as far as possible and emit no on-site carbon emissions from fossil fuels. The proposal also includes the renovations of buildings and the setting of new EU-level minimum energy performance standards. Finally, the proposal encourages the use of electronic communications and smart technologies to ensure that buildings are able to operate efficiently.

Read more detail about the proposal in our post.

Decarbonising Gas Markets

Today, fossil (mainly natural) gas accounts for about 95% of gaseous fuels in the energy mix. By 2050, the Commission wants renewable and low-carbon gases combined to cover two thirds of gaseous fuels in the energy mix and natural gas in combination with carbon capture, usage or storage (CCUS) technology to cover the remaining third.

The European Commission proposes to recast the Third Gas Directive and Regulation as part of its “Fit for 55” package, including measures to facilitate the integration of renewable and low-carbon gases, establish a framework for dedicated hydrogen infrastructure and improve security of supply.

Read our blog post here for more details on the proposal.

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