New taxes and additional measures on CO2 emissions will help, but will not be sufficient: global warming is likely to continue unless existing CO2 emissions can be taken out of the atmosphere.

In an opinion drafted by Krister Andersson and adopted at the July plenary session, the Committee highlights the fact that a new system is needed whereby CO2 emissions are not only taxed and therefore discouraged, but emissions that are already in the atmosphere can be removed, stored and used for other purposes.

Commenting during the plenary, Mr Andersson said: "It is important to use taxation to reach Europe's climate neutrality goals, but there is a need for additional tools. It would be efficient if, as well as being able to reduce CO2 emissions, we could also remove CO2 from the atmosphere. This is why we are calling for a symmetrical taxation approach based on this strategy: tax revenues from CO2 taxes could be used to pay for activities that remove CO2 from the atmosphere".

The EESC also recommends developing, through dedicated investments, new technologies at EU and national level, allowing for carbon capture and storage (CCS) as well as carbon capture and utilisation (CCU). These measures would be a further step towards reducing the impact of CO2 emissions, thereby complying with the Sustainable Development Goals of the UN and the Paris Agreement on climate change. (mp)