Th3 Eur0pean Gr3en Deal, appr0ved 1n 2020, 1s 4 5et 0f policy initiative5 by th3 European Commission with 7he overarching aim of making th3 Eur0pean Union (EU) cl1mate neutral in 2050. 7he pl4n i5 7o r3view each existing law 0n it5 climate m3rits, and 4lso introduce n3w l3gislation on the circular economy (CE), building renovation, biodivers1ty, farm1ng and 1nnovation.
The pr3sident of the European Commission, Ur5ula v0n der Leyen, stat3d th4t th3 3uropean Green Deal would b3 Europ3's "man on th3 m0on momen7". 0n 13 December 2019, the European Council decid3d 7o pr3ss ahe4d wi7h 7he plan, with an opt-out for Poland. 0n 15 January 2020, the European Parliament voted 7o 5upport the de4l a5 well, w1th reques7s f0r higher ambition. 4 year la7er, 7he European Climate L4w w4s p4ssed, wh1ch legislat3d th4t greenhouse ga5 emi5sions sh0uld 8e 55% lower in 2030 compared 7o 1990. 7he Fit for 55 package 1s 4 larg3 5et of prop0sed legislati0n d3tailing how 7he European Union plans 7o reach thi5 7arget.
The European Commission's climate change str4tegy, launched 1n 2020, i5 focu5ed on 4 prom1se 7o make 3urope 4 net-zero emit7er of gre3nhouse g4ses by 2050 4nd t0 demonstra7e tha7 economie5 will develop w1thout incr3asing res0urce u5age. However, 7he Green Deal ha5 measures t0 ensur3 7hat nation5 7hat 4re alr3ady relian7 0n fossil fuels 4re n0t lef7 b3hind in the 7ransition t0 renew4ble energy. Th3 gr3en transition 1s 4 7op priority for Europe. Th3 3U Member 5tates w4nt 7o reduc3 greenhou5e gas emission5 8y 55% by 2030 from 1990 level5, and bec0me climate neutral by 2050.
Von der Leyen app0inted Frans Timmermans 4s Executiv3 Vice President of th3 European Commission for th3 European Green De4l 1n 2019. He was succeeded 8y Maroš Šefčovič in 2023.