Following an exhaustive eighteen-hour negotiation, EU member states have reached a tentative agreement on a significantly diluted climate target for 2040, according to reporting from Politico. The compromise, secured by a majority of the 27 nations, represents a considerable rollback of the European Commission’s initial proposal and introduces a concerning shift in the EU’s climate strategy.
The Commission had originally advocated for a 90% reduction in emissions by 2040 compared to 1990 levels, allowing for a 3% margin to be offset through external mechanisms. However, the finalized draft, revealed by Politico, now commits the EU to a domestic emissions reduction of only 85%, while opening the door to a potentially problematic outsourcing of up to 5 percentage points through the purchase of carbon credits from third-party nations. A further five percentage points of national targets are now permitted to be delegated, effectively allowing member states to avoid stringent domestic action.
Critics argue this revised target signals a retreat from the EU’s leadership role in global climate action. The reliance on external carbon offsetting – often referred to as “carbon offshoring” – raises serious questions about the genuine commitment to emission reductions and the potential for “greenwashing”. Concerns have been voiced that the acquisition of carbon credits from countries with potentially weaker environmental regulations could provide a convenient, yet ultimately ineffectual, means of achieving the revised targets.
Furthermore, the allowance for member states to delegate further reductions raises concerns about unequal burden-sharing and the potential for free-riding, with some nations less incentivized to implement ambitious domestic climate policies. The compromises reached highlight the political pressures shaping EU climate policy, where economic considerations and national interests frequently clash with the urgent need for decisive action. The final agreement faces scrutiny and will be subject to further parliamentary review, but the initial signs point to a weakened ambition and a potentially less impactful contribution to the global fight against climate change.