EU 2040 Climate Target: Contributions of non-CO2 emissions

The EU is legally obliged to achieve climate neutrality by 2050 and has an interim target for 2030 of reducing net GHG emissions by at least 55% compared to 1990. The European Climate Law also requires the EU to adopt an interim climate target for 2040. While carbon dioxide is the most important anthropogenic greenhouse gas and is addressed by comprehensive EU policies and measures, other greenhouse gases are relevant for achieving the EU’s climate targets as well.

The main source of methane emissions is the agriculture sector, followed by the waste and energy sectors. Nitrous oxide emissions originate mainly from agriculture, and to a lesser extent from energy systems and wastewater. In addition to emission reductions in the agriculture sector, new policies are needed to ensure an adequate contribution to meeting the 2040 target. In the waste sector, incentives need to be introduced to effectively reduce the landfilling of organic waste and to capture methane emissions from landfills. Pricing mechanisms, including a possible inclusion in the ETS, should be explored.

In order to reduce fugitive emissions from the energy sector, regulations need to be strengthened and extended in areas which are not the focus of the Methane Regulation. These include fugitive emissions from biogas production. To reduce nitrous oxide emissions from wastewater, additional treatment steps need to be introduced in wastewater treatment.

Besides greenhouse gases, additional substances affect climate change. These include the short-lived climate forcers hydrogen, nitric oxide, non-methane volatile organic compounds, carbon monoxide, sulphur dioxide and black carbon. While the emissions of most of these climate forcers are projected to decrease in the coming decade, water vapor emissions in the stratosphere will increase with growing air transport, and emissions of hydrogen are also expected to increase with its use as a main alternative to fossil fuels.