US EditionEU tentatively agrees weakened climate target in final-hour deal for COP30
- On Wednesday, European Union climate ministers in Brussels approved a compromise after marathon talks, committing the bloc to cut emissions by 90 percent by 2040 versus 1990 levels.
- Negotiators raced to secure majority backing after intensive talks over several weeks and the EU Environment Council met in Brussels on Tuesday to seek a common 2040 position.
- The deal allows countries to buy foreign carbon credits covering up to 5pc of the 90pc target, weakening European industries' cuts to 85pc and delaying the EU carbon market launch.
- Several governments including Poland, Italy, the Czech Republic and Hungary opposed the interim targets, but their opposition did not block the agreement requiring support from at least 15 of 27 member states.
- With the agreement in hand the EU will take the package to COP30 where European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen will meet leaders on November 6, while climate conference negotiations run from 10 to 21 November.
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PBS NewsHour
UpstractEU agrees on new emissions targets ahead of COP30 climate summit in Brazil
Environmentalists criticized the deal for provisions that will allow the EU to buy carbon credits from less-developed countries, effectively outsourcing the bloc's obligations.
Just before the COP30 in Brazil, the Twenty-Seven broke a compromise on their greenhouse gas reduction targets on 5 November, but at the cost of a series of renunciations to rally reluctant states.
Concessions have prevented the dreaded diplomatic catastrophe, but NGOs have been irritated.
In the run-up to the climate summit in Belém, European countries had to reach an agreement. Europe is weakening its climate goals, for example, by allowing more leeway for emission reductions outside the continent.
EU ministers break deadlock on CO2 emission reduction by 2040
After months of political impasse, the revision of the EU's climate law was backed with significant flexibilities for member states to hit the 90% emissions reduction by 2040. Now the European Parliament needs to have a say on the bloc's climate target.
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