The European Union (EU) member states have reached a political agreement to reduce CO2 emissions by 90% by 2040, compared to 1990 levels, while allowing for increased flexibility for member states in achieving these targets.
“It took a long time, we’ve been expecting this for months. We welcome the 90% finally being secured,” stated Islene Façanha from ZERO, in comments to Lusa agency, regarding the agreement’s terms.
The agreement was secured by a qualified majority after nearly 24 hours of negotiations, with Slovakia, Hungary, and Poland voting against it, as expressed at today’s public session of the European Environment Council.
For ZERO – Sustainable Earth System Association, it is crucial that the EU continues to promote ambitious climate goals.
This political agreement will allow the EU to update its climate plans in preparation for the upcoming COP30 climate conference, organized by the United Nations in Belém, Brazil.
The EU was due to present its updated climate plans to the UN, ten years after the Paris Agreement of 2015, committing to reducing CO2 emissions by 66.25% to 72.5% by 2035, compared to 1990 levels (the upper limit corresponds to 90% by 2040).
In July, the European Commission included in its proposal the possibility of using a 3% contribution allowance for high-quality international carbon credits from 2036.
This would practically permit countries to purchase such credits from third countries by investing in sustainable projects.
However, this flexibility was deemed insufficient by countries such as Italy, Poland, and France, who pushed for an increase in this percentage during negotiations, though other partners, like Spain, did not welcome any relaxation of the rules.
The agreement, requiring a qualified majority of member states, was reached after granting more reluctant countries a margin of up to 5% for international loans and a transition period starting from 2031.
The extraordinary ministerial meeting commenced in Brussels on Monday morning, with negotiations continuing late into the night to salvage the agreement, just hours before the start of the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30) in Belém, Brazil, from which the EU aimed to avoid attending without consensus on the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) mandated by the Paris Agreement.
The final text will still need to be negotiated with the European Parliament, ideally before the year’s end.
On Monday, the associations Zero and Oikos presented five appeals for the next UN climate summit, notably seeking increased ambition in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and a fair global transition.
As the leaders’ summit takes place in Belém, Brazil, this week, with more than 50 heads of state and government attending, including the Portuguese Prime Minister, the organizations emphasize that the conference must “urgently address the collective deficit in global climate action,” with countries increasing their ambitions in reducing greenhouse gases (GHGs).
Following the leaders’ summit on Thursday and Friday, the UN conference, COP30, runs from December 10 to 21, also in Belém, Brazil.
