Making EU climate governance fit for net zero : an analysis of the current landscape of relevant EU climate policy processes and recommendations for alignment with the climate neutrality objective

The paper “Making EU Governance Fit for Net Zero” analyses the current landscape of climate policy governance against eight core parameters at EU level and for Member States, and identifies a number of remaining weaknesses. Improvements should address several key processes, such as updating of the NECPs in 2023-2024 and of national LTSs and the new progress and consistency assessments under the EU Climate Law. The paper identifies a number of specific actions in 2022 and 2023 to enhance these processes: Targeted revisions of the Governance Regulation,e., to improve standards for NECPs and LTSs and improve the overall alignment towards the climate neutrality goal (e.g., via the ESR); A transparent process to develop progress monitoring based on net zero indicators to inform several processes (NECPs, LTSs, progress checks); An update to the EU LTS to inform overall policy and the 2040 target and to as a coordinating hub for sectoral strategies; A dialogue with Member States about where coordinated EU policy is needed most – and support to their efforts to improve governance (incl. greater emphasis on national LTSs).