European Green Deal - Striving to be the first climate-neutral continent

European Green Deal - Striving to be the first climate-neutral continent

In July 2019, Ursula von der Leyen was elected the European Commission President with the objective to make Europe the first climate-neutral continent in the world by 2050 in line with her strong message “We need to act now!” Even though EU Member States are on the way to meet the Paris Agreement goals and United Nations’ 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda goals, there is still a lot to do. Climate change and environmental degradation are an existential threat to Europe and the world, and this is why, in the matter of weeks after being sworn into office, von der Leyen’s Commission presented a new comprehensive strategy - the European Green Deal - as a response to these challenges.

This new growth strategy aims to transform EU’s economy into a fair and prosperous society in helping European companies to become world leaders in green products and offer aid to regions affected by this economic transition.” It aims also to protect, conserve and enhance the EU’s natural capital and improve the well-being of citizens.

To achieve the climate-neutrality objective, the European Commission published a proposal at the beginning of March for the first  European Climate Law, which aims to achieve zero net greenhouse gas emissions for EU Member States and the EU as a  whole, and ensure that all EU policies and sectors contribute to the objective of climate neutrality. Moreover, various sectors of the EU's economy would need to take action, among other things, by investing in environmentally-friendly technologies, supporting industry to innovate, rolling out cleaner, cheaper and healthier forms of private and public transport, etc. The Commission proposals will now be scrutinised by the European Parliament and the Council of the EU under the ordinary legislative procedure.

In addition, making the EU climate neutral by 2050 requires significant investment from EU funds, Member States and the private sector. To achieve this objective, the Commission recently presented the Sustainable Europe Investment Plan, which is the investment pillar of the Green Deal. The plan will mobilise at least €1 trillion in sustainable investments over the next decade through the EU budget (25 % of the envisaged programmes under the new Multiannual Financial Framework and beyond MFF) and associated instruments, in particular, InvestEU.

Green Deal’s relevance to sport

In accordance with the Commission’s strategy, the involvement and commitment of the public and all stakeholders is crucial to the success of the European Green Deal. Recent political events show that game changing policies work only if citizens are strongly involved in designing them. In order to make a Green Deal that suits everyone, the Commission is implementing a second climate action initiative, entitled "European Climate Pact". It aims to collect the ideas and opinions of citizens on the needs and activities to be carried out within the framework of this pact. 

A few days ago, the Commission launched an open public consultation in the framework of the Climate Pact for a period of 15 weeks (until 27th of May). It gives the opportunity to citizens and organisations, including sport stakeholders, to express their ideas and views on how to make this pact as effective, inclusive and ambitious as possible.

Sport organisations and the Olympic movement are directly concerned by the impacts of climate change and by other environmental issues, and are increasingly becoming active in countering these negative impacts. By replying to the above-mentioned consultation and by following actively EU’s developments in this area, sport organisations not only can demonstrate their readiness to act and to raise awareness of the environmental issues among the general public, but they can also open new avenues of cooperation with the EU, including receiving possible financial support for their investment (e.g. sport infrastructure) and  non-investment initiatives.

Recent Posts

Empowering future sport leaders in Papendal

This week, the EOC EU Office joined forces with its partner organisations engaged at the joint NILE (Nordic International Leadership Education), LEAP (International LEAdership Programme of the German Olympic Sports Confederation - DOSB), and International Leadership Course of the Belgian Olympic and Interfederal Committee - BOIC workshop in Papendal, Netherlands. Bringing together emerging leaders from […]

Read More
SAFE HARBOUR showcased at Olympism365 Summit in Lausanne

From 3–5 June, the EOC EU Office took part in the Olympism365 Summit: Sport for a Better World, held in Lausanne. Bringing together leaders from the Olympic Movement, UN agencies, civil society and the private sector, the event focused on advancing the Sustainable Development Goals through sport, along with the theme of safeguarding in sport. […]

Read More
Household expenditure on sporting goods and services: disparities across the EU

According to Eurostat's 2020 data, EU households allocated an average of 1.2% of their total expenditure to sporting goods and services, with significant variations across countries. Ireland recorded the highest average expenditure, while Bulgaria reported the lowest. Higher-income households consistently spent more on sports-related items, with the top income quintile in several countries spending at […]

Read More

Related Posts

June 6, 2025
Empowering future sport leaders in Papendal

This week, the EOC EU Office joined forces with its partner organisations engaged at the joint NILE (Nordic International Leadership Education), LEAP (International LEAdership Programme of the German Olympic Sports Confederation - DOSB), and International Leadership Course of the Belgian Olympic and Interfederal Committee - BOIC workshop in Papendal, Netherlands. Bringing together emerging leaders from […]

June 6, 2025
SAFE HARBOUR showcased at Olympism365 Summit in Lausanne

From 3–5 June, the EOC EU Office took part in the Olympism365 Summit: Sport for a Better World, held in Lausanne. Bringing together leaders from the Olympic Movement, UN agencies, civil society and the private sector, the event focused on advancing the Sustainable Development Goals through sport, along with the theme of safeguarding in sport. […]

June 2, 2025
Household expenditure on sporting goods and services: disparities across the EU

According to Eurostat's 2020 data, EU households allocated an average of 1.2% of their total expenditure to sporting goods and services, with significant variations across countries. Ireland recorded the highest average expenditure, while Bulgaria reported the lowest. Higher-income households consistently spent more on sports-related items, with the top income quintile in several countries spending at […]

About us

The EOC EU Office is the House of European Sport, representing the European Olympic Committees (EOC), the IOC and other major sport organisations to the European institutions in Brussels.
CONTACT
crossmenu linkedin facebook pinterest youtube rss twitter instagram facebook-blank rss-blank linkedin-blank pinterest youtube twitter instagram