Significantly less CO2 air pollution is good news for Climate Chief Hoekstra

ENVI ITRE AFET DEVE - Hearing of Wopke HOEKSTRA, Commissioner-designate for Climate Action

The European Union (EU) saw its CO2 and other greenhouse gas emissions fall substantially last year. The recently published figures show that the reduction will be reduced by as much as 8.3 percent in 2023. 

This decline exceeds previous conventional estimates and confirms that the EU countries have collectively taken a major step towards their climate goals. 

The decline is particularly notable given that the EU economy grew modestly by 1.2 percent, suggesting that economic growth and waste reduction can go hand in hand to some extent.

The sharp drop in emissions is due to a combination of factors. First, stricter environmental laws have paid off. This has led to a reduction in the use of fossil fuels. Second, the mild winter of 2023 played an important role, because the demand for energy for heating was largely lower than normal.

The presentation of these new figures came at a crucial moment, just before the hearing in the European Parliament on the possible reappointment of Wopke Hoekstra as EU Climate Commissioner. 

Hoekstra, former Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands, had to answer for his future plans and the way in which he intends to support the climate objectives of the EU.

In his statement, Hoekstra made it clear that he wants full implementation of European environmental rules and promised to adhere to all agreements laid down in the Green Deal and the broader climate strategy. Opponents openly doubted Hoekstra's commitment.

The new emissions data not only provide an encouraging signal for the EU as a whole, but also underscore the need to meet the Paris Agreement targets.