EU in last-minute talks to set new climate goal for COP30

EU in last-minute talks to set new climate goal for COP30
Brazilian officials and UN leaders attend the Pre-COP30 meeting in Brasília on October 13, 2025.
Reuters

EU climate ministers will make a last-ditch attempt to pass a new climate change target on Tuesday, in an effort to avoid going to the United Nations COP30 summit in Brazil empty-handed.

Failure to agree could undermine the European Union's claims to leadership at the COP30 talks, which will test the will of major economies to keep fighting climate change despite opposition from U.S. President Donald Trump. 

But the EU, which has some of the world's most ambitious CO2-cutting policies, has struggled to contain a backlash from industries and governments sceptical that it can afford the measures alongside defence and industrial priorities.

EU countries are rushing to reach a compromise before European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen meets world leaders in Brazil on 6 November.

They are considering weakening the proposed target to cut net greenhouse gas emissions by 90% from 1990 levels by 2040.

Other measures in the draft which attempt to win buy-in include controlling prices in the carbon market and considering weakening the EU's 2035 combustion engine ban, as requested by Germany. 

Ministers will try first to agree the 2040 goal, and from there come up with an emissions pledge for 2035 - which is what the UN asked countries to submit ahead of COP30. 

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