The European Commission’s 2040 climate target communication, published on the 6th of February, marks a decisive moment in the EU’s commitment to combat climate change, yet regrettably fails to convey the urgency of the climate crisis. By continuing a significant dependence on oil and gas, the use of insufficient technologies, and poorly leveraging health co-benefits, the plan stands in the way of a large-scale system transformation needed to not only guarantee climate neutrality by 2050 but also to remove pressures on all planetary boundaries.
EPHA considers climate policies a cornerstone of public health policy in Europe, emphasising the need for an immediate fossil fuel phase-out, engagement with civil society and vulnerable groups, and fully leveraging health co-benefits to set a global precedent in addressing climate change.
