The European Commission, acting on behalf of the European Union, has unveiled details of the “European Green Deal,” with the ambitious aim of making Europe the first climate-neutral continent by 2050. To achieve this, all 27 EU Member States will pledge to reduce emissions by at least 55% by 2030, compared to 1990 levels.

The portfolio of measures set out by the European Union contain many prevalent to the architecture and construction industries. For example, the public sector of each country will be required to renovate 3% of its buildings each year to drive a culture of renovation. The EU estimates that this could lead to 35 million buildings being renovated by 2030, with the creation of 160,000 green jobs in the construction sector.

In addition, the EU has set a benchmark for each Member State to achieve 49% renewable energy use in buildings in 2030, as well as increasing the use of renewable energy in heating and cooling by 1.1 percentage points each year by 2030. Meanwhile, a Social Climate Fund will be aimed at EU citizens most affected by energy or mobility poverty, providing funds for the renovation of buildings, and access to zero and low emission mobility.

Recognizing that energy production and use accounts for 75% of EU emissions, the EU has set up a Renewable Energy Directive with the target of producing 40% of the bloc’s energy from renewable sources by 2030. Specific targets will be generated by each Member State for renewable energy use in transport, heating and cooling, buildings, and industrial processes. This will also include a renewed embrace of bioenergy and wood biomass.

“The fossil fuel economy has reached its limits,” said Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission. “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 towards a decarbonized economy. Europe was the first continent to declare to be climate neutral in 2050, and now we are the very first ones to put a concrete roadmap on the table. Europe walks the talk on climate policies through innovation, investment and social compensation.”

The proposals will now enter a period of negotiation at a European level between the EU’s 27 Member States before officially legislated through the European Parliament.

2021 has seen a number of countries and states outline plans to tackle and mitigate against climate change. In the USA, Miami recently unveiled a $4 billion plan to combat rising sea levels, while Petaluma, California became the first city in the USA to ban new gas stations. Meanwhile, earlier this year, the AIA praised the decision of the Biden administration to recommit the USA to the Paris Agreement.