Meanwhile, the EU’s incoming “simplification” bills aim to cut green rules and help business interests. So far, the European Commission has relaxed agricultural standards and the corporate sustainability disclosure rule.
Carbon-sucking trees disappear with their protection
The ability of the EU’s forests, peatlands and other natural ecosystems to absorb and store carbon from the atmosphere declined by about 30 percent in the past decade. That’s a problem for the EU’s climate goals, as forests’ ability to store carbon is key to countering climate change.
New rules like the EU’s anti-deforestation law — which requires companies to police their supply chains for environmental or human rights violations when importing coffee, cocoa, palm oil and beef — are important for bringing down emissions and biodiversity loss linked to EU consumption, the report pointed out.
But this law, as well as new legislation to better monitor forests’ resilience to climate change, face an uncertain fate following attacks from the powerful European People’s Party. The deforestation law faces a one-year delay; forest monitoring rules face the chop.
Emissions down, costs up
On the bright side, the EU is on track to reach its goal for cutting planet-warming emissions 55 percent by 2030, according to the scientists.
But rapid acceleration of the climate crisis outpaces this progress, taking an increasing toll on the European economy.