EU talks drag on with no agreement on climate targets

Efforts by European Union member states to agree on new climate targets have dragged on without a breakthrough.

After around 15 hours of negotiations that stretched into the early hours of Wednesday morning, EU environment ministers in Brussels failed to reach a compromise on a 2040 climate goal.

They were also unable to agree on a reduction commitment required under the 2015 Paris Agreement on climate change a document that must be submitted to UN ahead of UN Climate Change Conference, known as COP30, in Brazil.

Some delegations indicated they were prepared to continue talks through the night. Formal negotiations are due to resume on Wednesday morning at 07:45 am (0645 GMT).

However, Tuesday’s meeting had been convened on short notice because of the need to reach an agreement before the UN’s annual climate summit begins in just a few days.

The EU has already missed two deadlines for submitting its climate plan and negotiations are now taking place at the last possible moment.

So far, member states have not been able to formally agree on a reduction target on climate-damaging emissions for the next decade.

They have so far only agreed to a non-binding outline for a climate plan through 2035 aiming to cut emissions over the next 10 years by between 66.25 per cent and 72.5 per cent from 1990 levels.

The climate plan requires unanimous approval.

Talks also continued on a separate, longer-term target for 2040.

Under the EU’s climate law, the bloc must specify alongside its existing 2030 and 2050 targets by how much emissions should be reduced by 2040.

The European Commission has proposed reducing emissions by 90 per cent by 2040 compared to 1990 levels based on scientific evidence.

Several countries, including Poland and France, are pushing back against the proposal, they point to concerns over economic burdens, pressure on industry and the current geopolitical environment.

For a decision to be adopted on this matter a qualified majority is required to at least 15 of the 27 member states representing 65 per cent of the EU population.

(NAN/dpa)