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Kara joined the team at Greenly in 2023 as SEO copywriter for the UK market.

Kara Anderson - Greenly

Kara studied her bachelors of law at the University of Glasgow and her masters in international law at the University of Aberdeen, before looking for a more creative career path. She found this in advertising, working as a content manager in London. After a move to Paris in 2019 she decided to switch to freelance copywriting in order to scratch her creative itch. Kara joined the team at Greenly in 2023 as SEO copywriter for the UK market.  

After seeking opportunities to put her various creative passions to good use, she joined Greenly in mid 2022 as SEO copywriter for the U.S. blog to provide her American perspective on the climate change issues we face today.

Stephanie Safdie - Greenly

Stephanie completed a bachelor's degree in English & Multimedia in 2020 at the University of Maryland College Park. She previously worked as a social media content video creator and freelance copywriter. After seeking opportunities to put her various creative passions to good use, she joined Greenly in mid 2022 as SEO copywriter for the U.S. blog to provide her American perspective on the climate change issues we face today. 

Ines Gendre

After graduating in 2016 with a master’s degree in marketing, Ines began her career in project management. However she soon decided to turn towards writing, to bring her core competencies to the service of societal changes. First working as a freelance copywriter, she joined Greenly in early 2022 to help fight global warming.

Alexis Normand

Alexis is a 37 year-old graduate of HEC and Sciences-Po. After his studies, he spent 2 years working in public policy consulting. He then spent 6 years at Withings, a leading company in connected objects. While there, he continued the companies operations in Boston, USA, and created the company’s health department. After the company was bought by Nokia, he joined the startup Embleema by working through Techstars, one of the best startup incubators in the United States, where he developed a taste for entrepreneurship. His return to France was an opportunity to put all his experience at the service of the environment, during a crucial moment in the climate crisis.

Arnaud Delubac

Arnaud, 26 years old, trained as a designer and in digital communication at INSEEC before joining the Master Entrepreunariat at ESSEC-CentraleSupélec. Passionate about social media since his teenage years, he has created some of the biggest Twitter communities in France before joining the digital communication team of the Prime Minister’s office in Matignon. It was at the Secretaries of State for Digital, Mounir Mahjoubi and Cédric O, where Arnaud directly managed the team, that he developed a strong conviction for the need to use technology to bring awareness to the greatest causes of our time.

Matthieu Vegreville

Matthieu is a 28 year-old graduate engineer from Ecole Polytechnique and Télecom Paris, with a background in data science at Withings. While there, he worked on watch activity detection algorithms, and developed a health study activity so that connected objects could be used to better monitor certain pathologies. He has long been involved in data science projects with his brother, who has the same training. Faced with the urgency of the climate crisis, he decided to put his know-how at the service of the environment. 

Justine Dumont

Justine a toujours été passionnée de lecture et d’écriture. En 2019, elle parvient justement à faire de sa passion son métier, en devenant rédactrice web indépendante. Motivée par ses engagements écologiques, elle rejoint l’équipe de Greenly en 2022 afin de mettre ses compétences au service de la cause environnementale. 

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All you need to know about the “Fit for 55” plan

The European Commission has published the "Fit for 55" plan to achieve climate neutrality. What are the EU's proposals?

<p id="">Since the early 1970s, the European Union has been committed to protecting the environment. So it's not surprising to see new proposals to address global warming! 👋 As such, the "Fit for 55" plan is the latest major commitment.&nbsp;</p><p id="">Right now, MEPs from all 27 EU member states are in the middle of studying eight of the 12 proposals that make up this roadmap. It's a historic vote for the climate, that's also been subject to many criticisms. The proposals are particularly restrictive - to the advantage of the environment! 🌱</p><p id="">What does this plan consist of? Do the proposed measures really contribute to the environmental objectives set by Europe? To understand this all better, Greenly has dissected the EU's proposals in this article. 👇</p><p id="">‍</p><figure class="w-richtext-figure-type-image w-richtext-align-center" data-rt-type="image" data-rt-align="center"><div><img src="https://uploads-ssl.webflow.com/6232f79b68d15d3d9b69c096/631b15c39148edd99ff75a65_very-twisty.jpg" loading="lazy"></div></figure><p id="">‍</p><h2 id=""><strong id="">💥 Fit for 55 : The legislative package that could change everything&nbsp;</strong></h2><p id="">‍</p><h3 id=""><strong id="">New, more binding environmental measures 👀</strong></h3><p id="">Presented on July 14, 2021, "Fit for 55" ("Paré pour 55") is a package of about ten legislative proposals that are part of the <a href="https://www.greenly.earth/blog-fr/tout-ce-quil-faut-savoir-sur-le-green-deal-europeen" id="">European Green Pact</a>. Published by the European Commission, these flagship measures have a triple environmental objective:</p><ol id=""><li id="">To accelerate the fight against climate change ;</li><li id="">To achieve climate neutrality in 2050 - by balancing natural carbon sinks and sources of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions - ;</li><li id="">To reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% by 2030 compared to 1990. The namesake of this climate package.&nbsp;</li></ol><p id="">‍</p><blockquote id="">🏆 Unofficially, we could add the European Commission's desire to place Europe as a world leader in the fight against climate change.</blockquote><p id="">‍</p><p id="">This is a fact. To counter our climatic inactivity, strong and binding measures are essential to slow down global warming and ensure our survival on the planet. Moreover, the <a href="https://www.greenly.earth/blog-fr/giec-2022-5-questions-pour-comprendre-le-chapitre-5" id="">sixth report of the IPCC</a> has given an alarming deadline: we have only three years left to reverse the trend... otherwise we are cooked. 🔥</p><p id="">To achieve these ambitious goals, no less than 450 million citizens and all economic sectors (agriculture, transport, construction or industry) are concerned by the ecological transition.&nbsp;</p><blockquote id="">👉 Clearly, the proposals made in this roadmap will impact the manufacturing of our everyday objects, the way we travel and our purchasing habits.&nbsp;</blockquote><p id="">‍</p><h3 id=""><strong id="">A climate package that complements the European Green Deal 📑</strong></h3><p id="">Presented on December 11, 2019, the European Green Pact (or "<strong id=""><em id="">European Green Deal</em></strong>") is a far-reaching commitment made by the 27 EU member states. The various - and numerous - measures it contains must make Europe climate neutral by 2050.&nbsp;</p><p id="">‍</p><p id="">In order to build a new economic model, the Green Deal has developed 4 main strategies:</p><ol id=""><li id="">supporting the ecological and digital transition of European industry;</li><li id="">supporting the development of the circular economy;</li><li id="">protecting biodiversity;</li><li id="">working on the integration of energy systems and hydroelectricity.&nbsp;</li></ol><p id="">‍</p><p id="">But what is the goal of the Fit for 55 plan? 🧐</p><p id="">The climate package complements the Green Deal by turning the ambition of carbon neutrality into concrete actions. Although commitments to environmental protection are piling up, the results are not always effective. This credible action plan provides a framework for achieving the EU's objectives to effectively implement these new climate policies.&nbsp;</p><blockquote id="">💥 With the “Fit for 55” plan, the EU would become the first major economy in the world to take concrete action for the climate.&nbsp;</blockquote><p id="">‍</p><h3 id=""><strong id="">France as a forerunner 🇫🇷</strong></h3><p id="">The "Fit for 55" plan seems to build on French efforts. France managed to reduce its emissions by 23% between 1990 and 2018, all while having strong economic growth. During this same time, however, global emissions increased by 67%. France has thus become the first continent in the world to prove that it is possible to combine ecological action with economic growth.</p><blockquote id="">💪 A model that the European Commission wishes to extend to all European countries without exception.</blockquote><p id="">‍</p><figure class="w-richtext-figure-type-image w-richtext-align-center" data-rt-type="image" data-rt-align="center"><div><img src="https://uploads-ssl.webflow.com/6232f79b68d15d3d9b69c096/631b1602354702bf48cd0255_prouder.jpg" loading="lazy"></div></figure><p id="">‍</p><h2 id=""><strong id="">🔎 What are the top 10 proposals that make up the Fit for 55 plan?</strong></h2><p id="">‍</p><h3 id=""><strong id="">Revise the Union's emissions trading scheme 🔄</strong></h3><p id="">The European Commission wants to review the functioning of the <a href="https://www.greenly.earth/blog-fr/marche-du-carbone-comment-ca-marche" id="">European carbon market</a> (ETS) created in 2005 by strengthening the current EU Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS). Used to set the price of carbon, it could lead to a 61% reduction in emissions by 2030 compared to 2005.&nbsp;</p><p id="">But how does it work? 🧐&nbsp;</p><p id="">In concrete terms, the 10,000 companies involved are allocated a certain number of allowances corresponding to their business activity. At the end of the year, companies can sell or get credits for their allowances if they were under the emissions cap, and if the emissions cap is exceeded, they must buy allowances corresponding to the amount they went over.&nbsp;</p><p id="">To ensure the effectiveness of this system, the EU proposes :</p><ul id=""><li id="">to decrease the overall emissions cap more quickly;</li><li id="">to increase the annual reduction rate;</li><li id="">to abolish the free allowances granted to the aviation sector;</li><li id="">invest all the revenues collected by Member States during emissions trading in the environment and energy efficiency.</li></ul><p id="">‍</p><blockquote id="">👋 In addition, by 2026, Europe plans to include the maritime sector and establish a separate ETS for the transportation, buildings and heating sectors.</blockquote><p id="">‍</p><h3 id=""><strong id="">Strengthening emission reduction targets 🎯</strong></h3><p id="">To effectively reduce GHG emissions, the European Commission requires the updating of the "effort sharing" regulation. The latter allows for the distribution of annual GHG reduction targets among member countries. As such, each state will be assigned enhanced reduction targets to certain sectors:</p><ul id=""><li id="">buildings&nbsp;</li><li id="">road and inland waterway transport</li><li id="">agriculture</li><li id="">waste and small industry.</li></ul><p id="">‍</p><blockquote id="">👉 As an indication, these sectors account for 60% of EU emissions. The Commission would like to reach 40%.</blockquote><p id="">‍</p><figure class="w-richtext-figure-type-image w-richtext-align-center" data-rt-type="image" data-rt-align="center"><div><img src="https://uploads-ssl.webflow.com/6232f79b68d15d3d9b69c096/631b161ac3981a5ddefdaefe_lets-do-it.jpg" loading="lazy"></div></figure><p id="">‍</p><h3 id=""><strong id="">Preserve and develop natural carbon sinks 🌳</strong></h3><p id="">As a reminder, a <a href="https://www.greenly.earth/blog-fr/qu-est-ce-qu-un-puits-de-carbone" id="">carbon sink</a> is a natural element (forest, soil, ocean, etc.), which absorbs part of the CO2 present in the atmosphere. However, the higher the emissions, the less they are absorbed. 📉 Not to mention human activities that do not make things easier - deforestation in particular.</p><p id="">The global absorption target is 310 million tons of CO2 equivalent by 2030. Thus, the development of natural carbon sinks would mainly involve the planting of three billion trees across Europe by 2030. 🌱</p><p id="">To preserve carbon sinks, the Commission assigns individual targets to each member state. Two main actions are required:</p><ul id=""><li id="">develop natural areas;</li><li id="">limit the destruction of natural land.</li></ul><p id="">‍</p><h3 id=""><strong id="">Augment the use of renewable energy 💨</strong></h3><p id="">In order to encourage industry and private individuals to opt for sustainable energy, the revision of the Renewable Energy Directive is more than necessary. In this sense, the share of energy produced from renewable sources should ideally reach 40% by 2030 - compared to 32% currently. As an illustration, in 2020, France's renewable energy mix was only 19.1%.&nbsp;</p><p id="">There's work to be done. 👊</p><p id="">‍</p><figure class="w-richtext-figure-type-image w-richtext-align-center" data-rt-type="image" data-rt-align="center"><div><img src="https://uploads-ssl.webflow.com/6232f79b68d15d3d9b69c096/631b1636e6ebdb82026989ee_im-in%20(1).jpg" loading="lazy"></div></figure><p id="">‍</p><h3 id=""><strong id="">Improving energy efficiency ⚡️</strong></h3><p id="">Reducing GHG emissions requires lowering overall energy consumption and combating fuel poverty. Revising the Energy Efficiency Directive is the first step in setting a more ambitious, and by extension, more binding annual target.&nbsp;</p><p id="">Currently at 32.5%, energy efficiency for final energy consumption should ideally rise to 36% by 2030 and 39% for primary energy consumption. To achieve this, the public sector will have to renovate 3% of its buildings and power them with a mix of at least 49% renewable energy.</p><blockquote id="">👀 Energy efficiency improvements affect 35 million buildings and will create 160,000 green jobs in the construction sector.</blockquote><p id="">‍</p><h3 id=""><strong id="">Accelerating the deployment of low-carbon transportation 🚗</strong></h3><p id="">The transport sector is a real challenge. As an illustration, in the EU, all sectors decreased their greenhouse gas emissions in 2019, except for transport. According to Eurostat data, transport emitted 241 million tons more than in 1990, which is a 33% increase. 📈</p><p id="">To decarbonize the automotive sector, Europe is increasing the requirement of CO2 standards for thermal cars and vans. Moreover, several French measures and aids go in this direction:</p><ul id=""><li id="">the CO2 surcharge or, in the opposite case, the ecological bonus</li><li id="">the conversion bonus;</li><li id="">the ZFE ("low emission zones");</li><li id="">the zero-interest loan, which will come into effect on January 1, 2023 for the purchase of an electric or hybrid vehicle.</li></ul><p id="">‍</p><p id="">The "Fit for 55" plan is a real kick in the butt!&nbsp; And for good reason!&nbsp; It has already drawn up a schedule - one that is hugely debatable. It calls for the end of gasoline and diesel vehicles by 2035 - with a 55 percent reduction in emissions by 2030 - and the end of sales of internal combustion vehicles in 2040.&nbsp;</p><p id="">Ultimately, starting in 2035, new vehicles will have to be zero-emission. 👌</p><blockquote id="">💡 To accompany the transition, the deployment of a network of electric charging stations is planned.</blockquote><p id="">‍</p><figure class="w-richtext-figure-type-image w-richtext-align-center" data-rt-type="image" data-rt-align="center"><div><img src="https://uploads-ssl.webflow.com/6232f79b68d15d3d9b69c096/631b16545a1630c7cbc2ec84_great-idea.jpg" loading="lazy"></div></figure><p id="">‍</p><h3 id=""><strong id="">Reducing the environmental footprint of aviation and maritime transport ✈️🚢</strong></h3><p id="">The ReFuelEU Aviation initiative is moving towards increasing the share of sustainable aviation fuels. In order to generalize the use of biofuels, the EU plans to tax kerosene on intra-European flights.</p><p id="">The Maritime FuelEU initiative is deploying the use of sustainable marine fuels and zero-emission technologies. The goal is to reduce the GHG emissions intensity of ships by 75% by 2050.</p><blockquote id="">👀 Good to know: both of these modes of transportation rely primarily on <a href="https://www.greenly.earth/blog-fr/energies-fossiles-avantages-inconvenients-et-alternatives" id="">fossil fuels.</a></blockquote><p id="">‍</p><h3 id=""><strong id="">Aligning fiscal policies with the objectives of the Green Pact for Europe 👋</strong></h3><p id="">Put simply, the revision of the Energy Tax Directive leads towards aligning the taxation of energy products with the policies of the Energy and Climate Union. As a result, it helps <strong id=""><em id="">"reduce the harmful effects of energy tax competition by helping to ensure that Member States have revenue from green taxes."</em></strong></p><p id="">‍</p><h3 id=""><strong id="">Establishing a border carbon adjustment mechanism (BCA) 🗺</strong></h3><p id="">To prevent carbon leakage, the Commission requires the establishment of a new border carbon adjustment mechanism. To avoid this and gain competitiveness, Europe wants to apply the same CO2 price to polluting imported products and to carbon products sold by European producers.&nbsp;</p><p id="">But what is a carbon leakage? 🔎&nbsp;</p><p id="">Let's take the example of a company considered in France as polluting. To avoid being subject to price increases due to its CO2 emissions, it decides to move to a country where environmental measures are less strict. A decision that is certainly financially interesting, but devastating for the environment since the emissions - even though they are emitted far from France - still pollute the atmosphere. 🤨</p><blockquote id="">💰 To put it simply, it is about compensating for the gap between the ecological standards of different countries by opting for a common carbon pricing on products manufactured in Europe or elsewhere.&nbsp;</blockquote><p id="">‍</p><figure class="w-richtext-figure-type-image w-richtext-align-center" data-rt-type="image" data-rt-align="center"><div><img src="https://uploads-ssl.webflow.com/6232f79b68d15d3d9b69c096/631b166b354702b378cd048c_understand.jpg" loading="lazy"></div></figure><p id="">‍</p><h3 id=""><strong id="">Moving toward a socially just transition 🤝</strong></h3><p id="">But these far-reaching changes have a cost! As such, the EU is going to create a social climate fund of €72.2 billion over 7 years for low-income citizens or those for whom their personal ecological transition is out of their price range.&nbsp;</p><p id="">While the entry into force is envisaged by 2028, this financial support will allow them to carry out renovations in accordance with the new directives - in terms of heating, cooling, and efficient transport.&nbsp;</p><p id="">‍</p><h2 id=""><strong id="">📆 What are the next steps?</strong></h2><p id="">Now that the European Commission has published this legislative package, these proposals will be negotiated for months between the 27 EU member states.&nbsp;</p><p id="">Why so long? ⌛️ The work is enormous, as the texts represent several thousand pages. Eventually, all existing laws concerning the environment must be revised and new directives introduced.&nbsp;</p><p id="">From June 6 to 9, MEPs from the 27 member states voted on eight major proposals in the climate package. As such, the reform of the carbon market, the end of free quotas for the aviation sector and the creation of a carbon tax at the borders were rejected. Nevertheless, the revision of emission standards and the end of sales of new thermal cars is well and truly enacted from 2035, with 339 votes for and 249 against. A great victory! 🎉</p><p id="">To summarize the timeline of the rollout of the "Fit for 55" plan:</p><ul id=""><li id="">In 2023, the final version of each proposal must be voted on. As such, the remaining proposals must be considered by the European Parliament and then by the EU Council before agreement is reached on the final text;</li><li id="">In 2030, GHG emissions must be reduced by 55%;</li><li id="">In 2050, Europe must be carbon neutral. 🥳</li></ul><p id="">‍</p><figure class="w-richtext-figure-type-image w-richtext-align-center" data-rt-type="image" data-rt-align="center"><div><img src="https://uploads-ssl.webflow.com/6232f79b68d15d3d9b69c096/631b1681135f700ed6f5c05d_happening.jpg" loading="lazy"></div></figure><p id="">‍</p><h2 id=""><strong id="">🌿 Reduce your carbon emissions with Greenly</strong></h2><p id="">In line with the "Fit for 55" plan and the need to achieve carbon neutrality, every company has the opportunity to reduce its emissions - which is advisable to get ahead of future legislation. It's time to give a <a href="https://www.greenly.earth/fr-fr/demo" id="">call to our experts</a> to carry out a fully customized carbon assessment. ☎️</p><p id="">‍</p><p id="">‍</p>

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All you need to know about the “Fit for 55” plan

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