The EU has approved a legally binding goal to cut greenhouse gas emissions 90 percent by 2040, using domestic reductions and carbon credits after intense political negotiations among member states.
European Union countries on Thursday gave final approval to a new climate target requiring the bloc to slash greenhouse gas emissions by 90 percent by 2040, pushing ahead with one of the world’s most ambitious climate agendas despite political resistance from several member states.
The target is the result of a hard-fought political compromise between EU governments and lawmakers reached last year after months of negotiations.
Under the agreement, the bloc will pursue an overall 90 percent cut in emissions compared with 1990 levels. In practical terms, European industries will be required to reduce their emissions by 85 percent domestically.
The remaining reductions will be achieved through carbon credits, with the EU paying developing countries to cut emissions on Europe’s behalf to help reach the overall target.
The deal was struck following intense wrangling among member states. Countries such as Spain argued that worsening droughts and wildfires demanded stronger climate action, while others including Poland and Italy pushed for softer measures, warning that struggling industries could not afford the large upfront investments required for deeper emissions cuts.
A reinforced majority of EU environment ministers formally endorsed the legally binding goal during a meeting in Brussels.
The Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland and Hungary voted against the measure.
With the ministers’ approval, the 2040 climate target will now be incorporated into EU law.
As part of the compromise, the bloc will also examine in the future whether international carbon credits could cover an additional five percent of the required emissions reductions by 2040, a step that could further reduce the scale of domestic cuts needed.
The agreement also postpones the launch of a politically sensitive new EU carbon market by one year to 2028, a move designed to win over countries sceptical of the climate target.
The 2040 goal is intended to keep the EU on track to meet its pledge of reaching net-zero emissions by 2050.
However, the measure falls short of the 90 percent domestic emissions reduction recommended by the EU’s climate science advisers.
It is also less ambitious than the European Commission’s original proposal, reflecting disagreements among EU governments over the speed and cost of the bloc’s green transition.
