Celebrate the Earth Day!
Today we celebrate Earth Day. It's a good time to remember the climate goals and the "Fit for 55" package. It's also a time to think about what we ourselves can do for our planet and realize that every action we take, even the smallest one, makes sense. Because as Van Gogh used to say: "Great things are not created by impulse, but by putting small things together."
Earth Day was established in 1970 and today is celebrated in 192 countries. In Poland we have been celebrating it since 1990. In the beginning it was a grassroots initiative of the American public, who took to the streets to protest environmental ignorance and demand action to save our planet. The day is considered one of the largest civic events in the world. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was also established. Already a year earlier, at the UNESCO conference, the idea of establishing Earth Day was proposed by John McConnel and gained the approval of the UN Secretary General. In February 1971, a proclamation was signed designating Earth Day to coincide with the spring equinox, and since 2009 it has been celebrated on April 22. The celebration of Earth Day is meant to remind us how important it is to care for our planet and encourage us to take action to protect it.
Fit for 55
The "Fit for 55" package of regulations has been prepared to bring us closer to achieving full climate neutrality. It contains 13 regulations, the implementation of which is expected to make the EU cut carbon emissions by 55 percent by 2030 (relative to 1990) and achieve climate neutrality in 2050. Here are the most important of them:
Expanding the ETS
The EU's climate policy is based on the European Emissions Trading System (ETS), which includes entities in the energy and energy-intensive industries, which account for about 40 percent of greenhouse gas emissions. As part of the expansion of the system, maritime and air transport are to be included. In addition, companies the moment the EST was created are getting progressively fewer free CO2 allowances, and when their emissions are high they have to buy expensive certificates on the cheap. As a result, they are forced to make technological changes that will make the carbon intensity of their production go down.
The end of internal combustion car production
The European Commission is planning to tighten carbon dioxide emission standards for passenger cars: by 2030 by 55 percent (compared to the status quo), and from 2035 by 100 percent. This means that it will no longer be possible to register a car with an internal combustion engine in the EU.
New emission reduction targets
Another change is to be the tightening of emission reduction targets under the so-called Effort Sharing Regulation. It applies to sectors not included in the ETS, namely buildings, road transport and domestic maritime transport, agriculture, waste and small industries - which currently generate 60 percent of Europe's greenhouse gas emissions. Individual emission reduction targets will be set for each country in these sectors. Richer countries higher targets, poorer ones lower. Under the proposal, these thresholds will be raised for everyone.
Levy on CO2 imports
The European Commission is proposing to introduce the world's first tariff on carbon dioxide imports. The idea is to avoid carbon leakage, that is, to prevent companies from moving production outside the EU, where emission standards are lower.
More RES
The RES directive aims to increase the share of renewable sources in energy production. So far it was 32 percent by 2030, the EC proposes 40 percent. Specific targets will be proposed for the transport, heating, construction and industrial sectors. At the same time, criteria for the use of bioenergy will be tightened: biomass, biogas, biofuels.
CO2 absorption
According to the EC's proposal, member states will be obliged to take care of and expand natural sinks - so that the EU as a whole meets the target of absorbing 310 million tons of CO2 by 2030. In addition, the EU is to strive for climate neutrality in the land use, forestry and agriculture sectors by 2035. In terms of forest management, the EC notes that biomass is to be harvested and used sustainably. Three billion trees are to be planted in the EU by 2030.
Energy efficiency
The EC wants to reduce energy use in Europe. One way to save energy is through the idea of modernizing public sector buildings. It is to be done in 3 percent of these buildings every year.
Taxing energy
The revision of the directive on taxes on energy products means taxing all fossil fuels - reduced rates or exemptions are currently in place.
Ships and aircraft
The proposed changes assume that shipping will become part of the ETS, while aviation will lose the privilege of free emissions. More sustainable fuel is to be added to jet fuel, and jet fuel will no longer receive tax credits. Aircraft and ships are to have access to clean energy at major ports. On top of that, a cap on greenhouse gas emissions is to be established for ships that will call at European ports.
New fund
To counter energy poverty, the EC wants to establish a Social Climate Fund, financed by the EU budget, as well as 25% of the new ETS. The fund will have €72 billion in funds between 2025 and 2032. They will be distributed on similar terms as before. Poland would be the largest beneficiary of the fund, with €13 billion in funding. The Modernization Fund for energy transition, from which Poland currently benefits the most, is also to be increased. However, it will not include investments related to fossil fuels, including gas.
It's really happening!
Last Tuesday, April 18, 2023, MEPs voted on three key directives and regulations from the package.
The first of these provides for reform of the European Emissions Trading System. Thus, the plans for changes to the ETS described in the chapter above are being fulfilled. They envisage a gradual phase-out of free emission allowances in 2026-34, so that ETS-covered industry will reduce emissions by 66 percent by 2030 (taking 2005 as the base year). In addition, maritime and air transportation will be included in the ETS. From 2027 or 2028 (the date will depend on current energy prices), an ETS II system is to be created for construction and road transport. However, it will be less restrictive than the ETS for industry, but the general principle will be the same, i.e. the introduction of CO2 emission fees.
The second directive adopted relates to provisions for a new EU border price adjustment mechanism taking into account CO2 emissions (CBAM). As free emission allowances are phased out, a border carbon fee (CBAM) will apply, which will cover imports from non-ETS countries of commodities such as iron, steel, cement, aluminum, fertilizer, electricity and hydrogen. Importers of these goods will be required to pay the difference between the production country's emission fee and the price of emission allowances in the EU ETS. If the production country has not yet introduced an emission fee system then the importer will have to pay the full emission fee due in the EU. The idea is to force third countries to finally introduce emission fees.
On the other hand, the third regulation voted through provides for the creation of a Social Climate Fund in 2026, which is intended to prevent energy poverty during the period when emission fees on transportation or construction will be in effect, which could place too great a burden on households or small businesses. They will be able to use the fund to subsidize such measures as insulating their homes, installing a heat pump, buying an electric car, and other energy-saving measures. Funding for the fund will come from ETS emissions allowance auctions and domestic resources.
What can YOU do for the Earth today?
There are plenty of ideas for actions that will slow down the climate crisis. Here are some of them:
Save water. Drink tap or filtered water instead of buying bottled water. Most water is sold in non-recycled bottles, and it takes up to 5 liters of water to produce a one-and-a-half-liter PET bottle with a plastic cap. Also, develop new habits: turn off the water when you brush your teeth, choose showers instead of baths, and water your garden with rainwater.
Choose a bicycle or public transportation instead of a car. A bicycle is definitely a healthier and cheaper alternative to a car, and it's also environmentally friendly. Traveling by public transportation will also save the planet from unnecessary CO2 emissions. Cut down on plastic. We produce about 350 million tons of plastic every year, which does not decompose, but lingers in landfills, pollutes assessments and kills animals. Do away with disposables and use reusable products such as a metal or bamboo straw, a mug to take your takeaway coffee from the coffee shop, or an eco shopping bag. Don't buy drinks in plastic bottles or products in plastic packaging - more and more stores are selling products in bulk, for which you can come with your own eco-bag or jar. Remember to recycling. Selective waste collection and recycling enable reuse. This reduces the consumption of natural resources and reduces the amount of waste. Remember that not only, plastic, paper, glass or metal are recycled, but also old clothes and electro-waste. Save electricity. Use LED light bulbs, turn off your computer at night and all other devices that are not necessary at night, turn off the lights when you leave the room, set the washing machine to wash at a lower temperature, and pull the unused plug from the contact. Of course, it's best to use renewable energy, so install solar panels in your household if you can.
Buy consciously. Don't buy goods that were produced in countries where human rights are violated and the environment is not cared for. Don't buy products from companies that don't respect sustainability. Read labels, look for certificates of origin for ingredients from controlled crops and look out for fairtrade labels. Practice minimalism. Don't buy unnecessary items, use moderation and common sense. Old clothes can be repurposed to look like new. Increasingly, they can also be replaced. However, when you prefer new things try to choose brands whose manufacturers respect sustainability, but... be careful - don't get caught in greenwashing. Check carefully whether a brand advertising itself as environmentally friendly is really so. Read a little about it. The same is true of food, of which gigantic amounts are wasted worldwide. Make thoughtful purchases, don't buy in excess and don't throw food away. Food can be frozen, cured and recycled. You'll find more and more great recipes for dishes prepared in the spirit of zero waste on the Internet. Be an informed voter. Climate action depends largely on the people and parties in power. When casting your vote during elections, pay attention to politicians' approach to environmental protection, sustainable development, renewable energy sources, or the fight against smog.
Remember that the Earth needs to be taken care of all year round, not just today - on its feast day. So don't let this be a one-off spurt. Start introducing actions into your life systematically, let them become your good habit. And make others aware. Help other people make changes that benefit the planet. Share your knowledge about the Earth's global problems and environmental protection. Encourage your loved ones, friends, co-workers, neighbors to act... Because in a group strength! Be an inspiring example! And finally, I will repeat an old but close to me slogan: The Earth is our home, so let's take care of it! Let future generations also get a chance to live on it.