Achieving climate neutrality within the EU by 2040 is not only possible, but necessary to mitigate a rapidly changing climate that can have dangerous consequences for millions of Europeans. The PAC Scenario, developed by civil society organisations, sets out a roadmap for reaching this 2040 target, limiting global temperature rise to 1.5°C. The scenario provides a plan for the future EU energy infrastructure, where fossil fuels are phased out for a 100% renewables-based energy system, achieving the goal of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2040.
The aim of this report “wire the EU for climate neutrality – a Paris Agreement Compatible (PAC) roadmap for power grids”, authored by Climate Action Network (CAN) Europe and the European Environmental Bureau (EEB), is to identify the needed type of infrastructure and grid capacities necessary for a 100% renewable energy system (RES). It explores a pathway that aligns with achieving climate neutrality by 2040 across the EU27, and securing energy supply while remaining within the +1.5°C threshold.