EU Fails to Meet UN Deadline for Setting New Paris Climate Agreement Goal
The European Union (EU) is set to deliver a message of delay at a climate summit next week, as disagreements among member states have hindered the approval of a formal plan to reduce planet-warming emissions by 2035. Poland has advocated for the EU to submit a range of 66.3 percent to 72.5 percent as the formal target, mirroring Brazil's approach. However, the EU's 27 environment ministers are expected to finalize and approve a 'statement of intent' at their meeting in Brussels on Thursday, rather than a formal plan. This decision comes after Denmark postponed a vote scheduled for this week, as major countries blocked progress. The Danish statement insists that the bloc will submit its finalized plan to the United Nations before COP30 starts in early November. The ongoing disputes among EU member states about climate goals have resulted in the EU missing the U.N.'s end-of-September deadline to submit an official 2035 target. The search results do not specify which EU countries vehemently opposed separating the 2035 climate target from the 2040 target, but it is known that disagreements over the 2040 legislation derailed the plan. Another group of countries is fiercely opposed to disconnecting the 2035 target from the 2040 goal. If approved by ministers on Thursday, the EU will show up at a Sept. 24 summit with only a promise to eventually deliver a goal, rather than a concrete plan. The EU had intended to derive a 2035 goal of 72.5 percent from a new 2040 milestone currently being negotiated. The statement drafted by Denmark proposes a temporary emissions-cutting target of between 66.3 percent and 72.5 percent below 1990 levels by 2035. The EU governments are at odds over how to arrive at the 2035 target. The delay in agreement on a definitive target at a later date could result in diplomatic embarrassment for the EU, as failure to submit a target to the United Nations this month would undermine the EU's ability to influence other nations. In contrast, China is expected to present its plan on time. The EU countries agreed last week to host a debate among national leaders, scheduled for Oct. 23, before agreeing on a 2040 target. Just two weeks will be left to strike a deal on both goals ahead of the summit in Brazil after agreeing on a 2040 target. As the clock ticks, the EU faces pressure to reach a consensus on its climate targets and avoid diplomatic setbacks. The delayed approval of the 2035 goal could impact the EU's reputation as a global leader in combating climate change.
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