November 9 (SeeNews) - Bulgaria is required to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 10% compared to 2005 levels under provisionally agreed annual binding targets for EU members to 2030, the European Commission said on Wednesday.
The targets, agreed on principle with the European Parliament and Council, concern emissions from sectors not currently included in the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS), or notably road transport, buildings, waste, small industry and agriculture, the Commission said in a press release.
Elsewhere in Southeast Europe (SEE), the deal establishes binding emission reduction targets of 12.7% for Romania, 16.7% for Croatia, 22.7% for Greece and 27% for Slovenia. With cuts ranging from 10% to 50% compared to 2005 levels, Sweden, Finland, Luxembourg, Germany and Denmark are required to achieve the full 50% scope of reduction.
The provisional agreement needs to be formally adopted both by the European Parliament and the Council before entering into force.
The move is part of a revision of the EU's effort sharing regulation (ESR), first adopted in 2018, and comes as the 27-member bloc steps up efforts to implement its Fit for 55 package of legislative measures so as to boost its Green Deal strategy for climate neutrality to 2050.
The updated rules strive to increase the emissions reduction target for ESR sectors from 29% to 40% by 2030, aiming for greater convergence of emissions per capita in member states.
"With COP27 in full swing, it again shows that the EU is delivering on its climate commitments, moving from ambition to action. Against the backdrop of Russia's war of aggression in Ukraine it also shows that the EU is not backtracking on its green transition, but is rather accelerating efforts to become the world's first climate neutral continent by 2050," the Commission said.