The European Commission is set to propose a target to slash greenhouse gas emissions to a mere tenth of the levels seen back in 1990 – but a leaked summary confirms it will offer significant leeway as a sweetener for reluctant EU members.
With reaching net-zero by mid-century set in law, the EU has yet to set out an interim target to mark the half-way point from the 2030 milestone of cutting emissions by 55% compared to the baseline year.
A proposal expected on Wednesday says Europe should aim for the 90%, the minimum recommended by the EU’s climate advisory board, a draft summary seen by Euractiv suggests.
However, from 2036 “high-quality international credits” – linked to a UN-backed carbon certificate system – could be counted towards achieving the goal, according to the leaked text, which could still be changed before publication.
The EU’s domestic carbon cap-and-trade scheme, which is set to prohibit emissions from industry and power generators from 2039, would be supplemented with “domestic permanent removals” – opening the door to including negative emissions in the scheme.
With some sectors lagging behind on the EU’s decarbonisation pathway, “enhanced flexibility” should be created to “support the achievements of targets in a cost-effective way,” the text runs.
The new level of flexibility, which largely mirrors a deal struck in Berlin following talks with the EU’s climate chief Wopke Hoekstra, is supposed to address concerns by EU countries who fear the economic impacts of enhanced climate action.
France’s Emmanuel Macron, who told reporters the EU ought to avoid “overburdening” itself last week, has become the leader of the coalition of wary countries, supported by heavyweights like Poland and Italy.
(rh/om)