Bioenergy Europe has welcomed the European Commission’s proposal to enshrine a 2040 climate target of a 90% net reduction in greenhouse gas emissions compared to 1990 levels, calling it a crucial milestone on the EU’s path to climate neutrality by 2050.
The proposed amendment to the European Climate Law is seen as essential to maintaining a science-based trajectory and fulfilling the EU’s obligations under the Paris Agreement. In response, the bioenergy sector has reaffirmed its readiness to help deliver on this ambition.
“A 90% net reduction is the right level of ambition, and now the focus must shift to implementation,” said Ennio Prizzi, Senior Policy Officer at Bioenergy Europe. “Permanent carbon removals, particularly those based on biomass, are ready to contribute. What we need is a stable, long-term framework that enables investment, guarantees environmental integrity, and secures Europe’s leadership in carbon management.”
The organisation highlighted the need for a clear strategy to phase out fossil fuels and promote sustainable bioenergy. It also stressed the importance of recognising domestic permanent removals - such as bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) and biochar - as a vital and complementary part of the EU’s climate strategy.
Bioenergy Europe welcomed the Commission’s growing emphasis on high-integrity carbon removal solutions and its intention to lay the foundations for a viable European carbon management industry.
The sector views the upcoming 2026 review of the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) Directive as a timely opportunity to introduce targeted incentives and establish a strong business case for permanent removals.
The proposal also aligns with recent findings from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), which states that removing up to 10 billion tonnes of CO₂ annually by mid-century will be necessary to meet global net-zero goals. “The deployment of carbon dioxide removal is unavoidable if net zero emissions are to be achieved,” the IPCC noted in its AR6 Synthesis Report.
Bioenergy Europe further endorsed the Commission’s plans to introduce greater cross-sectoral flexibility beyond 2030, arguing that this could improve cost-efficiency and allow sectors to contribute according to their specific capabilities.
However, the organisation urged the EU to go further. It called for the 2040 framework to break down targets into gross emissions reductions, permanent removals, and land use, land-use change and forestry (LULUCF). Only with this level of clarity, it argued, can the EU send the strong demand signal needed to scale carbon removals at the pace required.
