EU 2050 Climate Strategy puts gas industry before climate

In response to today’s European Commission announcement of its new Climate Strategy for making the EU climate neutral by 2050, Corporate Europe Observatory’s climate policy researcher Pascoe Sabido said:

“There are many positive elements in the new 2050 strategy, but its reliance on so-called “renewable” and fossil gas as well as unproven technology like carbon capture and storage makes it almost impossible for the EU to meet our commitments under the Paris Agreement. This is undoubtedly also an outcome of very heavy gas industry lobbying.

“Instead of putting the EU on course that really leads away from fossil fuels, the European Commission is giving the gas industry a thumbs-up that it will remain part of the Union’s plans even beyond 2050.

“As long as gas industry lobbyists continue to have a strong grip over policy-making, we will not be able to break free from fossil fuels. We need a firewall that protects EU and national level decision-makers from gas industry lobbyists if we are serious about tackling the climate crisis.”

Contact:

Give us a call or email us for more info on how “renewable” and fossil gas feature in the EU’s 2050 Climate Strategy and why that is problematic.

Pascoe Sabido, pascoe@corporateeurope.org, +32 (0)289 309 3001

Notes to editors:

• “The industry lobbies behind so-called renewable gas”: read Corporate Europe Observatory’s research on gas industry lobbying towards the European Commission here.

• “Seven myths industry uses to sell "renewable gas"”: read Corporate Europe Observatory’s myth buster on “renewable” gas lobby claims here.

• Read the EU Commission’s press release on its 2050 Climate Strategy here.