{"page":"\u003clink rel=\"stylesheet\" href=\"https://lessonplanet.com/assets/packs/css/resources-572d6a42.css\" /\u003e\n\u003clink rel=\"stylesheet\" href=\"https://lessonplanet.com/assets/packs/css/lp_boclips_stylesheets-f4d0de30.css\" media=\"all\" /\u003e\n\u003cdiv data-title='EU to become \u0026#39;world\u0026#39;s first climate-neutral continent\u0026#39;, says European Commission chief Von der Leyen' data-url='/boclips/videos/6878b7ba68f2517d67875b7c' data-video-url='/boclips/videos/6878b7ba68f2517d67875b7c' id='bo_player_modal'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='boclips-resource-page modal-dialog panel-container'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='react-notifications-root'\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-header'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-type'\u003e\n\u003ci aria-hidden='true' class='fai fa-regular fa-circle-play'\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\nVideo\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003ch1 class='rp-title' id='video-title'\u003e\nEU to become \u0026#39;world\u0026#39;s first climate-neutral continent\u0026#39;, says European Commission chief Von der Leyen\n\u003c/h1\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-actions'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='mr-1'\u003e\n\u003ca class=\"btn btn-success\" data-posthog-event=\"Signup: LP Signup Activity\" data-posthog-location=\"body_link_boclips\" data-remote=\"true\" href=\"/subscription/new\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan\u003eGet Free Access\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003e for 10 Days\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e!\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-body'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-info'\u003e\n\u003cdiv aria-label='Hide resource details' class='rp-hide-info' role='button' tabindex='0'\u003e\u0026times;\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003ci aria-label='Expand resource details' class='rp-expand-info fai fa-solid fa-up-right-and-down-left-from-center' role='button' tabindex='0'\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\n\u003ci aria-label='Compress resource details' class='rp-compress-info fai fa-solid fa-down-left-and-up-right-to-center' role='button' tabindex='0'\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-rating'\u003e\n\u003cspan class='resource-pool'\u003e\n\u003cspan class='pool-label'\u003ePublisher:\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003cspan class='pool-name'\u003e\n\u003cspan class='text'\u003e\u003ca href=\"/search?publisher_ids%5B%5D=\"\u003e/search?publisher_ids%5B%5D=\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-description'\u003e\n\u003cspan class='short-description'\u003eEuropean Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Wednesday unveiled her plans to make the EU the world's \"first climate-neutral continent\" but some proposals are likely to ruffle feathers in several member states. Among the measures...\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003cspan class='full-description hide'\u003eEuropean Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Wednesday unveiled her plans to make the EU the world's \"first climate-neutral continent\" but some proposals are likely to ruffle feathers in several member states. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAmong the measures that she outlined to MEPs during a special plenary session are plans to make the bloc's climate commitments legally-binding and to increase emissions reduction targets. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe proposals have already had some pushback from several European capitals and NGOs have criticised the package as not going far enough. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Europe will lead by example,\" Von der Leyen said, adding that the Green Deal will reconcile \"our economy with our planet\" and that it \"will set clear rules so that investors and innovators can plan their long-term investment\". \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'Carbon neutral by 2050' \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe package of measures known as the European Green Deal included a proposal for a European \"Climate Law\" that will enshrine the objective for the bloc to be carbon neutral in 2050. It will be brought forward in March. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe EU's executive arm also wants to increase the bloc's emissions reduction targets from the current 40% to \"at least 50%\" by 2030 and \"towards 55%\" compared with 1990 levels with the proposal tabled for mid-2020, the Commission chief announced. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eOther measures include the creation of a carbon border adjustment mechanism for selected sectors to ensure \"the price of imports reflect more accurately their carbon content\"; boosting energy efficiency by increasing renewable sources and rapidly phasing out coal and decarbonising gas; decreasing or ending tax exemptions for aviation and maritime fuels; and lastly the creation of a €100 billion fund to boost green investment. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe fund will combine public and private money which will be dished out over the seven years and which will act as \"the springboard for those sectors and those regions that have to catch up,\" Von der Leyen said. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'Proposals are too weak' \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eEnvironment NGOs have welcomed the announcement as going in the right direction but criticised it as not going far enough. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eGreenpeace said in a statement that although the \"volume of policies is impressive and the promises are more significant than those of previous Commissions, the policies themselves are either too weak or still need to be pieced together\". \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe NGO deemed the 50-55% emission cut by 2030 insufficient and urged \"Commission President von der Leyen and her team to put forward legislation that is up to the task\". \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eTransport and Environment, a Brussels-based research group, said that \"the plan to end aviation’s tax holiday, make sure shipping pays for its emissions and mandate the deployment of clean fuels and technology is welcome.\" \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBut it added that the Green Deal \"still falls short of what’s needed to fully decarbonise transport by 2050 and in some instances risks repeating past mistakes.\" \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSome member states are also likely to fight some of von der Leyen's plans. Leading the charge is Poland which in September opened a coal mine, a first in 25 years in the country with the government also keen to introduce legislation that will allow it to open new coal mines without the approval of local authorities. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003ePoland, Hungary and the Czech Republic — which blocked a previous EU attempt to introduce legal obligations to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by mid-century compared to 1990 levels — have already raised objections to the proposals. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eCzech Prime Minister Andrej Babis wrote on Twitter that his country \"also wants to achieve carbon neutrality, but we won't make it without nuclear\". \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Moreover, the cost of carbon neutrality will be astronomical,\" he added, calling on \" the EU to take this into account in the next budget period.\" \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eA Hungarian government spokesman, Zoltan Kovacs, said on Wednesday: \"Beyond the existing 2030 commitments we can only make new ones based on serious, clear and responsible calculations. This is the only way to make responsible decisions.\" \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eRemoving subsidies for fossil fuels \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe European Commission estimates that to achieve the current 2030 climate and energy targets, an additional €260 billion of additional annual investment will be needed. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIt also plans to earmark a quarter of the EU budget for climate mainstreaming across all EU programmes and stressed national government should reform their tax systems and that rules towards state aid may also have to be amended. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"At the national level, the European Green Deal will create the context for broad-based tax reforms, removing subsidies for fossil fuels, shifting the tax burden from labour to pollution, and taking into account social considerations,\" the Commission wrote. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Evaluations are underway of the relevant state aid guidelines including the environmental and energy state aid guidelines,\" it added. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe Commission also plans to use the Green Deal in its trade relations with Von der Leyen explaining that \"the goals must be the same for everyone and positive change\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='action-container flex justify-between'\u003e\n\u003cbutton aria-expanded='false' aria-label='Read more description' class='rp-full-description' type='button'\u003e\n\u003ci class='fai fa-solid fa-align-left'\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\n\u003cspan id='read_more'\u003eRead More\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003c/button\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-report'\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv aria-labelledby='resource-details-heading' class='rp-info-section'\u003e\n\u003ch2 class='title' id='resource-details-heading'\u003eResource Details\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-resource-details clearfix'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='detail'\u003e\n\u003cdl\u003e\n\u003cdt\u003eCurator Rating\u003c/dt\u003e\n\u003cdd\u003e\u003cspan class=\"star-rating\" aria-label=\" out of 5 stars\" role=\"img\"\u003e\u003ci class=\"fa-regular fa-star text-action\" aria-hidden=\"true\"\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\u003ci class=\"fa-regular fa-star text-action\" aria-hidden=\"true\"\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\u003ci class=\"fa-regular fa-star text-action\" aria-hidden=\"true\"\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\u003ci class=\"fa-regular fa-star text-action\" aria-hidden=\"true\"\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\u003ci class=\"fa-regular fa-star text-action\" aria-hidden=\"true\"\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/dd\u003e\n\u003c/dl\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='detail'\u003e\n\u003cdl\u003e\n\u003cdt class=\"educator-rating-title\"\u003eEducator Rating\u003c/dt\u003e\u003cdd\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"educator-rating-details\" data-path=\"/educator_ratings/rrp_data?resourceable_id=93096741\u0026amp;resourceable_type=Boclips%3A%3AVideoMetadata\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"not-yet-rated\"\u003eNot yet Rated\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/dd\u003e\n\u003c/dl\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='detail'\u003e\n\u003cdl\u003e\n\u003cdt\u003eGrade\u003c/dt\u003e\u003cdd title=\"Grade\"\u003eAll Grades\u003c/dd\u003e\n\u003c/dl\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='detail'\u003e\n\u003cdl\u003e\n\n\u003c/dl\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='detail'\u003e\n\u003cdl\u003e\n\n\u003c/dl\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='detail'\u003e\n\u003cdl\u003e\n\u003cdt\u003eSource:\u003c/dt\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='preview-source' data-animation='true' data-boundary='.rp-info' data-container='.rp-resource-details' data-html='false' data-title='A fresh perspective on European news \u0026amp; 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