Climate ministers to leave 55pc to EU leaders

EU climate ministers have decided to leave in "square brackets" part of the climate law establishing the proposed greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction target of 55pc by 2030, waiting for a "political" decision to be taken by EU leaders in December.

Ministers today discussed their common position on the law, subjecting to approval by EU leaders a mandatory EU net GHG reduction target for 2030 of 55pc, against 1990 levels, albeit after deduction of CO2 removals. Ministers generally agree on the target only being binding for the EU as a whole, rather than individual member states — although there is clear opposition from Denmark, Finland and Sweden on this point.

Final approval of the 55pc cut then depends on the go-ahead from EU member states. Ministers hope EU leaders in December will agree the new target for 2030 and submission of the EU's updated nationally determined contribution (NDC) to the UN before the year's end.

Germany, chairing the debates, said only a "few" countries support also requiring member states to individually reach climate neutrality by 2050. These "few" member states also want the EU to strive for negative emissions after 2050. But member states do agree on the need to set an intermediate EU-wide climate target for 2040 with a view to achieving a climate neutrality objective by 2050.

At a meeting of EU leaders on 15-16 October, 11 member states — including France, the Netherlands, Spain and Sweden — pledged support for a 2030 climate target of at least 55pc GHG cuts. Other states have also come out for 55pc, including Lithuania and Germany.

Nordic states go even further. While supporting 55pc as a minimum compromise, Denmark and Sweden called for the EU to aim for up to 65pc by 2030, if possible, and Finland called for 60pc.

Poland said it was unacceptable that some ministers were for shifting the burden for reducing emissions to poorer countries. And despite there being a clear qualified majority among ministers in favour of 55pc, the Czech Republic, Poland and Romania were among those calling most loudly for the agreement to be supported by all EU leaders.

In their compromise, EU ministers agreed to draft a law underlining the role of EU leaders in defining the EU's "general political direction and priorities" in climate policy.

EU vice-president Frans Timmermans said this goes against EU treaties that give both the European Parliament and EU ministers, by qualified majority, the competence to decide together on climate and energy policy.

"You cannot use the climate law to change the treaty," Timmermans said. He also said discussion of an intermediate target for 2040 must not detract from setting 2030 goals.

And he warned against overvaluing the setting of targets. "By setting a target, you don't achieve the goal", even if it helps steer policies in the right direction, he said.

"I regret that a decision on an ambitious 55pc goal has been delayed to the December meeting. It's important that the EU agrees on 55pc before the end of the year, also with respect to international climate talks," Austrian climate minister Leonore Gewessler said.

The European Commission published its proposal for a climate law in March. On 7 October, parliament voted for GHG reductions of 60pc by 2030, rather than the 55pc cut proposed by the commission and now supported by climate ministers.

By Dafydd ab Iago