Issue 137 - April 2025
ISSN 2315-0017
Spotlight on the EU’s climate action
From food shortages to biodiversity loss, the consequences of climate change are among the greatest threats facing our world today. According to the 2024 Copernicus Global Climate Report, last year was the warmest year on record and the first where the annual global average temperature was more than 1.5°C above pre-industrial (1850-1900) levels. If we are to mitigate the impact of climate change, swift and effective action is essential.
Climate neutrality by 2050: that is the ambitious target that the EU has set itself. The European Climate Law set this target in law and provides for additional binding goals for 2030 and 2040. To achieve its objectives, the EU has taken measures that seek to reduce carbon emissions, boost energy efficiency in infrastructure and restore biodiversity. The EU is also encouraging the development of innovative solutions that will help strengthen its resilience and adapt to the unavoidable impacts of climate change. Additionally, through the just transition fund and the social climate fund, the EU aims to support those who are most impacted by the journey to climate neutrality.
From mitigation and adaptation to innovation, the European Commission has put climate action at the core of several of its priorities. It recently proposed the clean industrial deal which outlines concrete actions to turn decarbonisation into a driver of growth for European industries. The journey to climate neutrality also presents opportunities for boosting our competitiveness, creating jobs and stimulating growth. This is why the EU is taking action to harness the potential of environmentally friendly technologies.
Our April newsletter puts the spotlight on the EU’s climate action.
Enjoy the good reads!
Clean industrial deal PDF
The Clean Industrial Deal is the EU’s plan to boost the competitiveness of European industry while accelerating its decarbonisation, lowering energy prices, creating quality jobs and contributing to developing the right conditions for companies to thrive. Find out more about the plan in this publication.
Available in EnglishThe EU Green Deal PDF
2024 edition
Explore the EU's path to climate neutrality by 2050 and discover the key policies, reforms and innovations driving the European Green Deal in this comprehensive report. What are the recent developments following the adoption of the Fit for 55 Package, the REPowerEU Plan and the reforms of electricity and gas markets in Europe? Get the inside track on Europe's sustainable future from energy markets to the circular economy and sustainable finance.
Available in English
Accelerating climate action through science html
The EU aims to become climate neutral by 2050, in line with its commitment to global climate action under the Paris Agreement. From increasing confidence in climate projections to encouraging the development of an app that promotes climate-friendly lifestyles, this Results Pack focuses on 11 EU-funded research projects that are helping to pave the way towards the EU’s climate goals.
Available in English, French, German, Italian, Polish and SpanishEuropean Union 8th Environment Action Programme PDF
Monitoring report on progress towards the 8th EAP objectives: 2024 edition
The EU's 8th Environment Action Programme builds on the European Green Deal and aims to accelerate the green transition, as well as to protect, restore and improve the state of the environment. Read about the EU’s progress in meeting its environmental objectives in the latest annual monitoring report of the programme.
Available in EnglishSustainable development in the European Union PDF/Paper
Monitoring report on progress towards the SDGs in an EU context: 2024 edition
Are you curious about the EU’s progress in addressing inequalities in society? Did you know that the greenhouse gas emissions from electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning decreased by over 30% during the last decade? Check out the monitoring report to get an overview of the EU’s progress towards the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. Explore the online publication, Statistics on Climate Change Mitigation, and its interactive charts to dig into environmental data.
Available in EnglishEuropean climate risk assessment PDF
Climate change can exacerbate existing risks and crises. This report, elaborated by the European Environment Agency, identifies 36 climate risks with potentially severe consequences across Europe. The risks are evaluated in terms of severity, urgency for mitigation measures, policy readiness and risk ownership. The report also identifies priorities for EU action.
Available in EnglishEuropean climate pact PDF
What is the European climate pact?
The European Climate Pact is a movement of people united around a common cause, each taking steps in their own worlds to build a more sustainable Europe. In this publication, learn about how you can take part in this initiative.
Available in all official languages of the EUDriving the future of sustainability with the European circular economy stakeholder platform PDF/Paper
Come and explore the European Circular Economy Stakeholder Platform, launched in 2017 by the European Commission and the European Economic and Social Committee. Since its inception, the platform has become one of the driving forces behind Europe’s circular transition. Its aim is to reshape the way we manage resources and eliminate waste by keeping products and materials in use through recycling, reusing, and repairing.
Available in English and French
21st century solutions for the construction sector PODCAST
Here’s a conundrum: the heating and cooling of homes currently generates 36% of our total emissions. At the same time, the EU is experiencing an affordable housing crisis and 16.8% of people living in the EU were in overcrowded households in 2023. So, how can we balance our need for more affordable homes while reducing the environmental impact of the construction sector? Listen to this podcast to learn about the EU-funded projects that are working on innovative solutions to help strike this balance.
Available in EnglishAtlas of the human planet 2024 PDF/Paper
Join a journey to understand the complexities of our rapidly changing world. Discover how the movement of people and goods is reshaping our planet, and how access to detailed information on human settlements and population is crucial to help addressing pressing societal challenges like climate change. This Atlas is designed for a general, non-technical readership, and makes extensive use of graphics and images. The aim is to inform the widest possible community about the use of science and data to address major societal issues.
Available in EnglishIn your language
The EU in 2024 PDF/Paper/HTML
General report on the activities of the European Union
Would you like to know how the EU addressed the challenges of 2024 and what it achieved during the year? Are you curious about last year’s main policy developments, from electricity market reform to rules on artificial intelligence, and how citizens benefited from them? You can find the answers to all these questions and more in The EU in 2024.
Available in all official languages of the EUOur news
The Publications Office of the EU is proud to present you the new ‘Collaboration channel’ on data.europa.eu! This dedicated platform empowers data providers and data reusers to connect, share valuable knowledge, and exchange best practices. The channel promotes innovation and the reuse of open data.
Join the conversation, engage with fellow data enthusiasts on topics that are important to you and contribute to a thriving open data community!
EU-funded projects
Find all our publications on
EU Publications
