Climate change in Europe
The law aims to achieve carbon neutrality and, after 2050, negative emissions[10] and paves the way for a policy overhaul in the European Union.
A major driver in the OECD is the European Union Landfill Directive, which limits the amount of organic matter that can enter solid waste facilities.
[23] Along with this percentage, agriculture is also responsible for being the largest contributor of non carbon dioxide greenhouse gas emissions being emitted annually in Europe.
[24] According to the European Green Deal, it is critical to minimize reliance on pesticides and antimicrobials, eliminate excess fertilization (particularly nitrogen and phosphorus), promote organic farming, improve animal welfare, and reverse biodiversity loss.
The introduction and successful implementation of sustainable agriculture can assist developing nations improve their food security, as well as strengthening soil and plan carbon sinks globally.
During a heat wave a glaciological rarity in the form of a previously unseen lake emerged in the Mont Blanc Massif in the French Alps, at the foot of the Dent du Géant at an altitude of about 3400 meters, that was considered as evidence for the effects of global warming on the glaciers.
[45] The summer of 2003 was probably the hottest in Europe since at least AD 1500, and unusually large numbers of heat-related deaths were reported in France, Germany and Italy.
[57][58] The heat wave in summer of 2019 as of June 28, claimed human lives, caused closing or taking special measures in 4,000 schools in France only, and big wildfires.
Many areas declared state of emergency and advised the public to avoid "risky behaviour" like leaving children in cars or jogging outside in the middle of the day".
[59] In 2022, severe heatwaves occurred in Western Europe.Wildfires emerged in different places and burned vast territories causing tens of thousands of people to flee their homes.
[61] In 2019 for the first time, cases of Zika fever were diagnosed in Europe not because people traveled to tropical countries like Brazil, but from local mosquitos.
[96] The European Commission predicted in 2020 that extra investment of €260 billion year, or around 2% of EU GDP, would be needed to meet the 2030 climate and energy objectives.
The Stern Review's main conclusion is that the benefits of strong, early action on climate change far outweigh the costs of not acting.
According to the Review, without action, the overall costs of climate change will be equivalent to losing at least 5% of global gross domestic product (GDP) each year, now and forever.
The vote came as scientists warned that the world may have already crossed a series of climate tipping points, resulting in "a state of planetary emergency".
[111] The parliament also calls to end all fossil fuel subsidies by 2020, increase at least twice the payments to the green climate fund, make sure that all the legislation and the European budget will be in line with the 1.5 degrees target, and reduce emissions from aviation and shipping.
[112] The European Investment Bank declared that it will divest almost completely from fossil fuels from the year 2021 and started to phase out acceptance of new projects in 2019.
In the official page of the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 is cited Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, saying that: "Making nature healthy again is key to our physical and mental wellbeing and is an ally in the fight against climate change and disease outbreaks.
The EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 includes the next targets: According to the page, approximately half of the global GDP depends on nature.
[120] In the official page of the program From Farm to Fork is cited Frans Timmermans the Executive Vice-president of the European Commission, saying that: "The coronavirus crisis has shown how vulnerable we all are, and how important it is to restore the balance between human activity and nature.
"[121]The program include the next targets: In 2022 the Environment Ministers of the European Union backed a new law aiming to increase carbon sinks such as forests.
[123][124] Wood harvesting and supply have reached around 550 million m3 per year, while the total increasing stock of European forests has more than quadrupled during the previous six decades.
[96] In December 2022 the European Commission approved a law forbidding flights on planes in France, if people can pass the distance on a train in 2.5 hours.
Greenpeace cited a report according to which, if it will be 6 hours instead of 2.5, it will cut global greenhouse gas emissions by an amount equivalent to 3.5 million tonnes CO2 annually.
[135] Climate change threatens to undermine decades of development gains in Europe and put at risk efforts to eradicate poverty.
[5][142] The critics include that European companies, like in other OECD countries, have moved the energy-intensive, polluting, and climate gas-emitting industry to Asia and South America.
[94] In 2024, 72% of respondents to the same survey acknowledge that they will need to adjust their lifestyle in response to climate change, with the figure rising to 81% among those in southern European countries.
The government of Greenland explained the decision as follows: "price of oil extraction is too high,"[180] In France, climate change has caused some the greatest annual temperature increases registered in any country in Europe.
[192][193] Climate change is leading to long-term impacts on agriculture in Germany, more intense heatwaves and coldwaves, flash and coastal flooding, and reduced water availability.
[199] In 2024, Germany's greenhouse gas emissions decreased by 3% compared to the previous year, totaling 656 million metric tons of CO₂ equivalent.
In western Europe, heatwaves have been increasing "three-to-four times faster compared to the rest of the northern midlatitudes over the past 42 years". [ 34 ]
