This is threatened with climate goals in Europe. The reason is banal

The European Commission may have to cut back on its plans for the climate target by 2040. The reduction of greenhouse gases by at least 90 percent compared to 1990 in the next 15 years is clearly the goal, said EU climate commissioner Wopke Hoekstra.

“At the same time, I would also like to make sure that we are sensitive to the demand for a little pragmatism and the question: ‘Okay, how can we do it?'” Said the Dutch. The competitiveness of Europe and a fair and fair change in the economy would also have to be taken into account.

Recently, demands for a less ambitious goal had become loud, including from countries such as Italy. He was further confident that the 90 percent goal could be at the end, said Hoekstra. There is a limited list of opportunities for more flexibility for the member states.

So far, there are the sets in the EU to reduce CO2 emissions by 55 percent by 2030 compared to 1990 and become climate neutral up to 2050. Last year, the EU Commission presented a recommendation for an intermediate goal until 2040: to reduce emissions by then by at least 90 percent. The European Scientific Advisory Board on Climate Change had already spoken in favor of reducing EU emissions by 90 to 95 percent by 2040 by 2040.

The new commission, which has been in office since the end of 2024, still has to present a legislative proposal so that the goal can be binding. Such a proposal must then be negotiated by the EU countries and the European Parliament. So that the proposal find a majority, he has talks with countries and representatives of the parliament, said Hoekstra.

How the future federal government is positioning itself is still open. In a result paper from the responsible working group Climate and Energy for the coalition of the SPD and Union, it shows that the Social Democrats support the 90 percent goal. There was no text proposal from the Union.

CDU European Member Peter Liese described the goal of 90 percent for 2040 “extremely ambitious”. Without flexibility, there is a risk that Europe will lose a lot of industrial production. From the Liese’s point of view, a solution can be to recognize high -quality certificates from third countries to a limited extent.

“At the same time, it is incredibly important that Europe quickly sets its climate goals for 2040 and especially for 2035,” said Liese. The goal should be ambitious, but at the same time must be realistic in order to be taken seriously. “India and China are waiting for Europe.”

Originally, the legislative proposal was to be presented in the first three months of this year. The talks lasted for weeks or months, said Hoekstra. He wanted to present the proposal for the new goal before the summer break. Hoekstra did not want to determine whether it will be “somewhere in June or early July or maybe even a little earlier.