After long night negotiations in Brussels, European climate ministers reached a compromise on Wednesday setting a new target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 90% by 2040, compared to 1990 levels. This agreement, reached at the last minute before the opening of the UN climate summit (COP30) in Brazil, marks a step back from the initial ambitions of the European Commission, under pressure from several member states worried about their industrial competitiveness.
The final text allows EU countries to cover up to 5% of their reduction target through the purchase of foreign carbon credits, effectively reducing the efforts required within the EU to 85%. A clause even provides for the possibility of expanding this margin to 10% in the coming years, depending on international negotiations on carbon markets. The agreement also postpones the launch of the new European Union Emissions Trading System (ETS2) to 2028, one year later than initially planned.
“Setting a climate target is not just about numbers; it’s a major political choice for our continent,” said Danish Climate Minister Lars Aagaard after the discussions. “We sought to maintain ambition while protecting competitiveness and social cohesion.” This more flexible approach aims to appease the reservations of countries like Poland, Slovakia, and Hungary, which were fiercely opposed to the initial version of the agreement, deeming it too restrictive for their industries.
Conversely, countries like the Netherlands, Spain, and Sweden argued for maintaining an ambitious course, citing the increasing frequency of climate disasters in Europe and the need to accelerate the ecological transition to remain competitive with China in green technologies. France and Portugal, on the other hand, supported the compromise position favoring greater flexibility regarding carbon credits.
The EU's independent scientific advisors criticized this relaxation of the rules, arguing that it risks diverting investments needed to decarbonize European industries. They contend that the use of foreign funds could weaken the credibility of the Union, long considered the global leader in climate diplomacy.
This agreement nevertheless allows Brussels to arrive at COP30 with a unified position. The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, is scheduled to meet with several world leaders there on Thursday to defend Europe's "realistic climate strategy" in the face of an increasingly fragmented international context, particularly due to the environmental policies of the US President. Donald Trump.
Despite criticism from environmentalists, the Commission is pleased to have avoided a political disaster just days before the summit. "We don't want to destroy the economy, nor the climate," summarized Polish Deputy Climate Minister Krzysztof Bolesta. "We want to save both at the same time." A fragile balance that COP30 in Brazil will undoubtedly put to the test.
