EUROPEAN Commission president Ursula von der Leyen (right) wants to put up 100 billion euros (£85bn) to help member countries that still heavily rely on fossil fuels shift to lower emissions.
Von der Leyen, who took office this month at the helm of the European Union’s powerful executive arm, has made the fight against climate change the top priority of her five-year mandate.
The first woman to lead the commission has pledged to make Europe the world’s first carbon-neutral continent by 2050 as part of a European Green Deal.
A draft of the resolutions that EU leaders will pursue on climate change when they meet today, says the 100bn euro investment will serve as “support for regions and sectors most affected by the transition”.
The commission hopes the fund will help the regions that stand to be hit the hardest financially by the transition to cleaner industries.
Among them, Hungary, the Czech Republic and Poland have yet to commit to the EU’s goal of net-zero emissions of CO2 by 2050.
The new fund, with full details to be unveiled in January, might help convince leaders from the three countries to join that goal.
“I want us to agree on the commitment for the EU to become climate-neutral by 2050,” said Charles Michel, president of the EU Council, in his invitation letter to the EU leaders that make up
the group.
“This would be a major signal from the European Council that the EU will take a global leadership role on this crucial issue.”
Von der Leyen, who will present a European Climate Law in March, wants the 28-country bloc to reduce carbon emissions by at least 50% by 2030 compared with 1990 levels, more than the currently agreed goals of 40%.
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