Environmental groups have launched legal action to force the European Union (EU) to raise its 2030 emissions targets.

The Climate Action Network and the Global Legal Action Network, which bring together more than a thousand environment-focused non-governmental organizations (NGOs) worldwide, announced that they have filed a lawsuit with the EU General Court against the EU Commission’s 2030 climate targets.

In the statement, it was pointed out that the legal process aims to tighten the EU Commission’s 2030 emissions rules.

Recalling that the Commission has set annual limits for various sectors such as agriculture, industry and transport, which emit most of the greenhouse gas emissions in 27 countries by 2030, the statement argued that these limits are illegal.

The statement said that the EU’s overall climate targets have alarmingly exceeded the 1.5 degree limit of the Paris climate agreement, and that climate action should be accelerated and measures taken to further reduce emissions.

The statement underlined the importance of accelerating emission reductions for the EU’s credibility on environment and climate, and stressed that at least 65 percent of emissions should be cut by 2030.

The EU aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in member states by 55 percent by 2030 compared to 1990 levels. Within this framework, limits have been set for various sectors to reduce their emissions.

NGOs argue that these measures are not enough.

Source: AA