With the ambitious goal of becoming the first carbon-neutral continent by 2050, the European Union has committed to creating a greener world for future generations.
In this bold talk, Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, details the challenges and opportunities that come with transitioning an entire continent to clean energy — and shows why fixing climate change calls for everyone to take action.
Fighting climate change has become the greatest responsibility of our times. And this is why in Europe, we have set our objective: to become the first carbon-neutral continent by 2050. This means leading an entire continent towards transitioning to clean energy, reinventing our infrastructure, and much, much more. It may sound abstract, and it sounds huge. And yes, it’s actually both. And it is also possible. Why?
In the European Union, we have a good record of turning ambitions into successes. We are a political and economic union with 27 countries and the total population of 450 million people. On the ashes of two world wars, we have secured lasting peace among us. From a divided continent, we have created a union without borders. And I strongly believe we can also achieve our next challenge: becoming the first carbon-neutral continent.