Implementing the Paris Agreement – EU and global climate action [Topical Digest]

A year after the entry into force of the Paris Agreement, implementation by the EU, its Member States and other parties, is well under way. The EU is in the process of adopting legislation and other measures to implement its climate and energy policy for the next decade, in line with its international commitments.

The 751 Members of the European Parliament represent EU citizens’ interests on an extremely wide range of, often complex, policy issues. To help them in their work, the European Parliamentary Research Service (EPRS) provides independent, objective and authoritative analysis of and research on these issues. As Members’ time is very limited, and the amount of analysis available sometimes overwhelming, EPRS publishes short Topical Digests of published material whenever an issue arrives at the top of the policy agenda.
In 2017 this included providing digests to coincide with High-Level Conferences organised by Parliament’s President, Antonio Tajani (EPP, Italy), on topics such as EU relations with Africa, clean energy for Europe, and tourism. A digest of analytical material was also prepared for the European Week of Regions and Cities, as well as for the Social Summit in Gothenburg. Other major issues which warranted a digest of coverage during the year include developments in EU security and counter-terrorism policies and tax avoidance and tax evasion in the wake of the Paradise and Panama papers scandals. Digests were also prepared on EU development policy, and the EU’s relations with the Western Balkans. EU policy on sport, and the EU disability strategy complete this year’s collection of handy guides to EPRS publications – designed with Members of the European Parliament in mind, but available to everybody.

Domestic implementation through EU climate action

Post-2020 reform of the EU Emissions Trading System
‘Legislation in progress’ briefing by Gregor Erbach, April 2017
Reform of the EU Emissions Trading System for the period 2021-2030, contributing to the achievement of the 2030 EU climate targets while protecting European energy-intensive industries from the risk of carbon leakage.

Effort sharing regulation, 2021-2030: Limiting Member States’ carbon emissions
‘Legislation in progress’ briefing by Gregor Erbach, July 2017
Proposal for a regulation to limit post-2020 national emissions of greenhouse gases in the sectors not covered by the EU emissions trading system, such as transport, buildings and agriculture.

Read this Topical digest on ‘Implementing the Paris Agreement – EU and global climate action‘ in PDF.

Financing the transition to clean energy in Europe
Briefing by Gregor Erbach, October 2017
To meet the targets of the Paris Agreement, greenhouse gas emissions must be near zero in the second half of this century.

Land use in the EU 2030 climate and energy framework
‘Legislation in progress’ briefing by Gregor Erbach, September 2017
The proposed regulation regards the inclusion of greenhouse gas emissions and removals from the land-use and forestry sectors in the EU 2030 climate and energy framework.

CO2 emissions from aviation
‘Legislation in progress’ briefing by Gregor Erbach, September 2017
In October 2016, the International Civil Aviation Organization adopted a global market-based measure (GMBM), to start operating in 2021. In February 2017, the European Commission proposed a regulation to prepare for the implementation of the GMBM and temporarily exempt certain international flights from emissions trading.

Towards low-emission EU mobility
Briefing by Marketa Pape, March 2017
The European Commission has put forward a comprehensive strategy to accelerate the transformation towards low-emission mobility, without compromising European mobility and competitiveness.

Revised Energy Efficiency Directive
‘Legislation in progress’ briefing by Nikolina Šajn and Alex Benjamin Wilson, October 2017
Revision of the Energy Efficiency Directive, aiming to align it with the 2030 EU climate and energy framework.

Promoting renewable energy sources in the EU after 2020
“Legislation in progress” briefing by Alex Benjamin Wilson, October 2017
Revision of the Renewable Energy Directive to meet the goals of the 2030 EU climate and energy framework.

Climate Action – Greenhouse Gas Emissions and the EU Emissions Trading System
‘Implementation Appraisal’ briefing by Gertrud Malmersjo, September 2015
The EU ETS is the first and largest international trading system for greenhouse gas emission allowances. The implementation appraisal provides a succinct overview of material publicly available on its implementation, application and effectiveness.

Improving energy performance of buildings
‘Legislation in progress’ briefing by Alex Benjamin Wilson, March 2017
The proposed directive modernises and streamlines the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive.

International agreements and conferences

COP 23 climate change conference in Bonn
At a Glance note by by Gregor Erbach, September 2017
The COP 23 climate change conference, presided by Fiji, will take place in Bonn, Germany, from 6 to 17 November 2017. The programme is focused on the implementation of the Paris Agreement.

Paris Agreement: United States withdrawal
At a Glance note by Gregor Erbach, June 2017
In June 2017, US President Donald Trump announced the United States’ intention to withdraw from the Paris Agreement.

Outcomes of COP 22 climate change conference
At a Glance note by Gregor Erbach, November 2016
The parties reaffirmed their commitment to the full implementation of the Paris Agreement and agreed to finalise the detailed rules for its implementation within two years.

Using the Montreal Protocol for climate action
At a Glance note by Gregor Erbach, November 2016
The Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol sets out targets for phasing down hydrofluorocarbons, very potent greenhouse gases that are used in refrigeration equipment and other applications.

IMO: Reducing global emissions from shipping
At a Glance note by Marketa Pape, November 2016
The Marine Environment Protection Committee, a body of the International Maritime Organization, took steps to cut sulphur emissions, but progress on curbing greenhouse gas emissions from shipping has been slower.

The Paris Agreement: A new framework for global climate action
Briefing by Gregor Erbach, January 2016
The Paris Agreement, adopted in December 2015, provides a framework for global actions to address climate change in the period after 2020.

Further reading

Cities: Front line of climate action, Briefing by Vivienne Halleux, October 2017
EU sustainability criteria for bioenergy, Briefing by Gregor Erbach, August 2017
Advanced biofuels: Technologies and EU policy, Briefing by Didier Bourguignon, June 2017
Promotion of renewable energy sources in the EU: EU policies and Member State approaches , In-depth analysis by Gregor Erbach, June 2016

Visit the European Parliament page on ‘Climate change‘.