Climate Action Network Europe

Climate action received a much-needed boost with the new EU 2030 target of at least 55% net emission reductions. CAN Europe and its members’ tireless work behind the virtual scenes ensured the case for an ambitious target was heard at the highest levels of EU decision making. Europe’s more decisive action was echoed in other countries from the US to China, giving global climate policy a more promising look in what has been an incredibly tough year for all.

Last year, the National Energy and Climate Plans of all Member States became available. We published two reports highlighting where potential loopholes in the plans could be closed. Meanwhile, the Commission published its ‘Renovation Wave’ strategy, a cornerstone of the EU Green Deal. CAN Europe called for stepping up deep renovations to significantly improve the energy performance of existing buildings which would yield multiple benefits and help address energy poverty across Europe.

We worked to raise the case for climate justice, boost the profile of offshore wind energy and asked tough questions on the shortcomings of the Commission’s new strategy to the green industry.

We also got more MEPs on board our call to end fossil fuel subsidies and we made sure the EU’s Just Transition fund was both fair and not a free ticket for more fossil gas.

CAN Europe and the European Environmental Bureau (EEB) released the first-ever civil society blueprint for achieving the Paris Agreement target. Grounded in science, our scenario proved that we already have the technology it takes to reach a 100% renewables-based system by 2040, while also meeting sustainability standards.

The little-known ‘Energy Charter Treaty’ was in the spotlight. It is a legal text that allows fossil fuel companies to sue against climate policies that harm their profits – and we’re helping to write it out of the rule books. 200 high-profile people signed our open letter calling for an end to the treaty.

We also worked hard to see more ambitious climate commitments in Turkey and the Western Balkans.

2020 saw the launch of new work on gas and the beginning of the end for the misleading ‘natural gas’ narrative. Finally, we worked with business and investor leaders in urging the Commission to support steep emissions reductions.