Solutions
Climate and
industry
Factories that make the products we use and power stations that produce the electricity we need to power our homes, schools and offices release CO2 and other greenhouse gases (GHGs).
Pay for your emissions!
To reduce emissions, the EU created the world’s first and biggest system to limit the amount of GHGs that can be emitted and make companies pay for the emissions they release into the atmosphere.
Cleaner industries
The EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) was launched in 2005 and is a key part of the EU’s climate policy. It covers over 10 000 power stations and factories – and also includes emissions from flights within the EU.
The system limits the annual amount of GHGs that European companies can emit. This limit goes down every year and, because companies must report their emissions, we can be sure that the system is reducing pollution.
The more GHGs companies emit, the more they have to pay, so it is in their interest to emit as little as possible – for example by investing in cleaner technologies which produce less CO2.
Today, similar systems are being set up around the world, for example in China, South Korea and California.
For sectors that are not covered by the EU Emission Trading System, like road transport, construction, agriculture and waste, GHG emissions must still be reduced, as all EU countries have a national target for cutting emissions in these sectors.
Supporting new technology
The EU is helping to develop innovative low-carbon technologies through the Innovation Fund. It brings to the market industrial solutions to decarbonise Europe and support its transition to climate neutrality. The Innovation Fund will provide around EUR 38 billion from 2020 to 2030 (depending on the price of carbon, as it is funded by the EU Emissions Trading System’s auctioning of carbon emission allowances).
The Innovation Fund backs projects focusing on low-carbon technologies and processes in energy-intensive industries, renewable energy, energy storage, and new technology that captures carbon and stores it underground.
The EU and its Member States will continue to support research and development for low-carbon innovations through the Innovation Fund and Horizon Europe. The key objective is to turn low-carbon ideas into practical solutions in many areas of our life.
Jobs in the pipeline
Fancy an exciting career working with the latest cutting-edge technologies? Today, there are many jobs in areas like renewables that did not exist 10 years ago.
Some EU countries have even set up special training centres for the operation and maintenance of offshore wind turbines. Imagine climbing up an 85 m tall wind turbine tower to fix an electrical fault or service the oil filter – a long way from the shore and working in stormy seas and gusting winds!
Sustainable living
Sustainable: Able to ensure we have and continue to have the basic resources needed to survive, such as water, food and energy. Living sustainably means taking care of the planet and living within the limits of what it can provide.
Concrete action on CO₂ emissions
Concrete is essential for making buildings, roads and bridges but producing its basic ingredient, cement, also generates large amounts of CO2. Making one tonne of cement releases one tonne of CO2 as most cement is made by heating limestone to high temperatures.
The cement industry now makes more sustainable concrete by investing in modern technology and using material that emits less CO2.