The European Union is likely to miss the latest deadline set by the United Nations to submit a climate pledge before the end of this month, with member states split over how best to cut emissions.
Instead of presenting a so-called Nationally Determined Contribution, the EU’s rotating Presidency held by Denmark is working on a statement just outlining the bloc’s commitment to delivering on its ambitions in time for next week’s UN General Assembly, according to a document seen by Bloomberg. It will say that the EU will submit the formal pledge to cut emissions between 66.3% and 72.5% by 2035 at a later date.
“The EU is staying the course on climate,” the draft statement says. “The EU and its Member States reaffirm their determination to continue leading by example, advancing ambitious climate action.”
While the delay risks undermining the EU’s reputation for leading efforts to tackle climate change, it underscores the challenge faced by many countries to balance the need to transition with making it as pain-free as possible for citizens. The bloc is still aiming to submit its NDC before the UN’s COP30 climate summit in Brazil in November, where progress toward keeping global warming below 2C, and ideally 1.5C, will be evaluated.
EU countries are currently deadlocked on a proposal by the European Commission, the bloc’s executive branch, to cut emissions by 90% by 2040. The goal was for ministers to agree on the target this week so that the EU could submit its NDC to the UN before a deadline at the end of the month, but France and Germany led a push to take the debate to a leaders’ level summit next month, delaying the timeline.
Some countries, particularly those in central and Eastern Europe, would prefer to see the EU base its NDC off the established legally-binding goal of climate neutrality by 2050. More ambitious countries want to agree the 2040 goal of cutting emissions by 90% by 2040. The range in the statement reflects the current divide.
Ministers will discuss the 2040 goal and the statement at a meeting on Thursday.
Photo: Chimneys and cooling towers at a coal powered power plant in Poland. Photographer: Bartek Sadowski/Bloomberg
Topics Europe
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