The Green Deal includes measures to cut emissions from transportation, make buildings more energy efficient, increase renewable energy sources, protect biodiversity, and make agriculture more sustainable. The policy also plans the introduction of regulations designed to reduce industrial waste and encourage companies to increase reuse and recycling, signaling the adoption of a “zero pollution action plan” for water and air soil in 2021.

The package also calls for new trade policies that could penalize countries like the US that do not cooperate in global efforts to combat climate change. The plan is also to help regions of the world most likely to be affected by climate change as part of an effort to
ensure a “fair transition” towards a greener economy.

The goals set in the Green Deal are ambitious but the policy package is a statement of how seriously the new European commission led by von der Leyen takes the climate crisis. To take action, the European Commission needs to introduce legislation to make its objectives legally binding. The plan is to present the first European climate law in March, pursuing the goal of getting to net-zero emissions by 2050 in legislation.