EU leaders and governments have said they will revisit the European Commission’s proposal to increase the region’s emissions reduction target to at least 55% by 2030 at a meeting in December.
The European Council discussed the proposal at their meeting on 15-16 October and invited the Commission to conduct in-depth consultations with member states to assess the specific situations and to provide more information about the impact at the country level.
The Council added that it will return to the issue at its December meeting with a view to agreeing a new emissions reduction target for 2030 and the submission of the EUʼs updated nationally determined contribution to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change before the end of the year.
“All relevant EU legislation and policies need to contribute to the new 2030 target and to the fulfilment of the climate neutrality objective, while respecting a level playing field and preventing carbon leakage,” it said.
Green group CAN Europe director Wendel Trio said: “While EU leaders decided to take more time to discuss the climate target level, the urgency to act and tackle the climate emergency has never been bigger.
“Europe must lead by example and make sure its commitments to fight dangerous climate change are rooted in science and equity.
“The European Council in December needs to follow the frontrunners and agree to the highest possible level of emission reductions excluding carbon sinks.
“In order to create the necessary global momentum, the EU must present a new target by the 5th anniversary of the Paris Agreement on 12 December, one day after the decisive European Council meeting.”
The president of the EU Council Charles Michel is pictured at the latest meeting.