LUXEMBOURG Law and Practice Contributed by: Nathalie Prüm-Carré, Inès Goeminne and Georges Gratia, Elvinger Hoss Prussen
12.5 Investigating Environmental Accidents In the event of an environmental accident, an admin- istrative complaint can be lodged with the relevant authority. The Law of 21 March 2012 on waste management, as amended, is the main legal basis for addressing acci- dental pollution, and establishes a specific framework enabling the competent minister to take all necessary preventative and remedial measures. These measures may include expert reports and work aimed at quanti- fying, stopping, remedying and removing damage to the environment. 13. Climate Change and Emissions Trading 13.1 Key Policies, Principles and Laws The Luxembourg government has placed the fight against global warming and the energy transition at the heart of its political priorities. The 2023–2028 coa- lition agreement reaffirms the country’s commitment to respecting the Paris Agreement and rapidly achiev- ing the climate targets set at national and European levels. Within this framework, the government is implement- ing the National Integrated Energy and Climate Plan (PNEC), which sets out the national climate objectives for the period 2021–2030, including: • reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 55% com- pared to 2005; • achieving a 37% share of renewable energy in final consumption; • improving energy efficiency by 42%; and • reinforcing targets for renewable energies and energy efficiency. Priority is also being given to the accelerated develop- ment of renewable energies, supported by substantial investments. Legislative and European Frameworks At the European level, Luxembourg is aligned with the major climate and environmental strategies and leg-
islative packages, such as “Fit for 55”, “Green Deal” and “Zero Pollution”. At the national level, several laws structure climate policy, including the following. • The Law of 15 December 2020 on the climate, as amended, establishes the institutional framework for climate policy. It aims to achieve climate neu- trality in Luxembourg by 2050 at the latest, with an intermediate target of a 55% reduction in green- house gas emissions by 2030 compared to 2005 levels. • The Law of 5 August 1993 on the rational use of energy, as amended, encourages a reduction in dependence on traditional energy sources and promotes renewable energies. • Various sectoral laws also apply to the fight against climate change, particularly in the areas of trans- port, fuel quality, CO2 storage and the creation of a climate pact with local authorities. 13.2 Targets to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions Luxembourg has set targets for reducing its green- house gas emissions as part of the PNEC and the gov- ernment coalition agreement. The aim is to achieve long-term climate neutrality, with an intermediate step of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 55% by 2030 compared with 2005 levels. The implementation of these objectives is based on a number of legislative instruments, as follows: • the Law of 15 December 2020 on the climate, as amended, which establishes an emissions trading scheme and provides a framework for authorising greenhouse gas emissions; • the Law of 21 June 1976 on the fight against atmospheric pollution, as amended, which requires a gradual reduction in greenhouse gas emissions over the fuel’s entire life cycle; • the Law of 13 September 2012 creating a climate pact with local authorities to support local authori- ties’ commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions; and • the Law of 17 April 2018 on town and country planning, as amended, which contributes through
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