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This executive summary, prepared by Friends of the Earth Europe based on a Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) study, outlines a technically feasible pathway for the European Union to achieve domestic greenhouse gas emission reductions of 40% by 2020 and 90% by 2050. The document advocates for a 'climate justice' approach, combining aggressive domestic decarbonization—excluding nuclear power, carbon capture and storage, and offsetting—with significant financial support for developing nations to meet their development needs in a carbon-free manner.

• The Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) research demonstrates that the European Union can technically achieve domestic greenhouse gas emission reductions of at least 40% by 2020 and 90% by 2050.
• The proposed mitigation scenario explicitly excludes several technologies and mechanisms: nuclear power (including a phase-out of existing plants), carbon capture and storage (CCS) for fossil-based electricity, offsetting via the Clean Development Mechanism, and first and second generation biofuels.
• To achieve these targets, Europe would need to drastically reduce primary energy requirements from approximately 71,000 Petajoules in 2010 to 21,000 Petajoules by 2050, with renewable energy's share of primary energy rising from 10% in 2010 to 71% by 2050.
• The transition requires a fundamental shift in transport, including doubling the rail network by 2050, ensuring 80% of intra-EU flights under 1000 km switch to rail by 2050, and achieving full electrification of cars by 2050.
• Household energy demand could be reduced by 63% by 2050 compared to 2010 levels through aggressive efficiency measures, including retrofitting 90% of existing homes at a rate of 5% per year.
• The study suggests that the EU's total mitigation obligation, calculated via the Greenhouse Development Rights (GDRs) framework, amounts to 103% greenhouse gas reductions below 1990 levels by 2020, split between domestic action and international investment.
• International financing obligations to support developing countries are estimated to be between €150 billion and €450 billion per year by 2020, representing approximately 1.1% to 3.3% of the EU's projected 2020 GDP.
• The mitigation scenario envisions a more equitable Europe with reduced income disparities between member states, where the average EU income rises to €40,000 by 2050.

APA

Stockholm Environment Institute (n.d.). Layout 1. https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/News/Press-releases/40-percent-europe-climatestudy-foee.pdf.pdf

Chicago

Stockholm Environment Institute. Layout 1. n.d. https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/News/Press-releases/40-percent-europe-climatestudy-foee.pdf.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Stockholm Environment Institute |title=Layout 1 |url=https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/News/Press-releases/40-percent-europe-climatestudy-foee.pdf.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{stockholmenvironmentinstitutendlayout, author = {{Stockholm Environment Institute}}, title = {{Layout 1}}, institution = {Stockholm Environment Institute}, url = {https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/News/Press-releases/40-percent-europe-climatestudy-foee.pdf.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }