Future climate targets/ EU countries prepare proposal for 2040

2025-04-30 18:50:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

European Union countries are divided over the bloc's next climate target as they prepare for tough negotiations to set an EU target to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 2040.

The European Commission is preparing a proposal for the EU's 2040 climate target, which aims to keep countries on track between the existing EU targets of reducing net emissions by 55% by 2030, from 1990 levels, and reducing them to zero by 2050.

Brussels had planned to propose a net emissions cut of 90% for 2040 last month, but postponed it due to opposition from several countries and lawmakers, who must approve the target and are concerned about its costs to struggling European industries.

"We need an attractive and strong investment environment in Europe, and if we change the big targets or change policies, this will create uncertainty among investors and companies," said Mika Nykanen, Finland's state secretary for climate.

Denmark, the Netherlands and Slovenia are among those supporting 90%. Governments including Italy and the Czech Republic oppose, citing concerns about manufacturing sectors suffering from US tariffs and cheap imports.

"We don't support it just now, the reason is the impact on heavy industry," said Czech Environment Minister Petr Hladik.

Europe is the fastest-warming continent in the world and is experiencing worsening droughts and extreme weather linked to climate change.

But governments are facing other priorities, including industrial competitiveness. Negotiations over past EU climate targets have fueled divisions between richer and poorer countries, with coal-dependent Poland among those worried about the cost of the energy transition.

Estonian Environment Minister Andres Sutt told Reuters that the Baltic nation had calculated it could cut net emissions by 80% by 2040, but that would depend on whether new carbon capture technologies scale up quickly enough to reduce emissions in sectors such as cement production.

In the face of political opposition, the Commission is considering flexibilities to soften the 90% emissions target.

These include counting international carbon credits towards the target, which could weaken the CO2 reduction efforts it requires from domestic industries. /CNA