EU decision on 2040 climate target to be delayed, diplomats say

Published connected 12/09/2025 - 18:01 GMT+2 •Updated 21:17

A arguable 2040 EU ambiance emissions target determination will not travel astatine ministerial level adjacent week — arsenic primitively planned — since countries declare they request much clip to mull nan issue, according to EU officials.

The Danish EU Presidency — presently helming nan European Council — wanted ministers to ballot connected nan target connected 18 September, during an situation Council.

But nan EU charismatic said that personnel states weren't yet fresh and nan rumor will beryllium pushed backmost to beryllium discussed and agreed by EU heads of authorities during an October summit.

The Commission projected a 90% emissions simplification target for 2040, compared to 1990 levels, successful July this year.

The 2040 intermediary target is meant to travel connected from nan EU’s 2030 target, of astatine slightest 55% simplification by 2030 compared to 1990 levels.

“We cannot support nan matter arsenic it stands correct now. It is not an perfect geopolitical timing. Also, nan matter was put connected nan array rather late,” a 2nd EU charismatic told Euronews, adding that countries need to spot much equilibrium betwixt targets and competitiveness.

The first EU diplomat said nan purpose astatine nan Council level successful October is to person a “decisive” discussion, rejecting nan anticipation of an unanimity ballot which would “reward nan lowest bidders”. However, nan diplomat didn’t adjacent nan doorway to nan anticipation that nary determination would travel moreover successful nan October summit.

The 2040 ambiance target will effect nan EU’s nationalist ambiance action plans nether nan Paris Agreement, expected to beryllium presented astatine nan COP30 successful Belém, Brazil.

Countries for illustration Slovakia and Hungary person openly opposed to nan Commission’s connection to trim 90% of CO2 emissions by 2040, arguing nan rule is simply a decease condemnation to nan country’s industry. France has said nan determination should beryllium taken by EU leaders alternatively ministers.

“These ideological proposals [2040 ambiance target] are much impervious that Brussels bureaucrats person already mislaid basal interaction pinch reality. They person nary thought what economical threat nan European and unluckily nan Slovak manufacture is in,” Tomas Taraba, Slovakia’s situation minister, said soon aft nan connection was announced.

Carbon credits

Some of nan cardinal aspects nether chat by EU diplomats see nan publication of world c credits — tradable certificates enabling nan emanation of a definite magnitude of CO2 — to scope nan 2040 target, but besides nan explanation that specified world credits would not interfere pinch nan EU’s c market, nan Emissions Trading System (ETS), according to an charismatic document. The expertise to shop CO2 extracurricular nan bloc is besides nether consideration.

“We are not against this thought [carbon credits], but we would request much clarity connected that,” nan 2nd EU diplomat added.

Austrian Lena Schilling, nan Green/EFA lawmaker responsible for nan 2040 ambiance target successful nan European Parliament, said information of c credits is “irresponsible towards taxpayers” and a “betrayal” of youth.

“Diluting nan EU ambiance target pinch c credits will only mean spending billions connected contamination authorities overseas alternatively of delivering existent ambiance action present successful Europe. We request astatine slightest a 90% simplification by 2040 wrong nan EU,” said Schilling.

Sven Harmeling, caput of climate astatine Climate Action Network (CAN) Europe, urged be aware successful narration to nan usage of world c credits: “It would severely undermine nan ambition and biology integrity of nan EU contribution, while only delaying and expanding nan costs of nan transition.”

“The EU would person to transportation extracurricular of its borders up to tens of billions of euros that would person different been invested successful home decarbonisation," Harmeling said.