EU nearly on track to hit 2030 climate goal, Commission says

The EU is poised to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 54% by 2030—just 1% short of its legally binding 55% target—thanks to stronger national climate policies, according to the European Commission’s latest review.

The European Union is close to achieving its major climate goal for 2030, with existing national policies expected to deliver a 54% reduction in net greenhouse gas emissions from 1990 levels, the European Commission reported on Wednesday.

This falls just one percentage point shy of the bloc’s legally binding 55% emissions reduction target. The analysis, which assessed climate strategies across all member states, found that countries have significantly ramped up efforts to reduce emissions over the past two years.

Despite facing political pressure from some member states to ease environmental rules, the EU has maintained its green trajectory. However, challenges remain. Agriculture and transport sectors are still lagging, and environmental damage from wildfires has hindered the land’s ability to absorb carbon.

By 2023, the EU had already achieved a 37% drop in emissions compared to 1990, even as the economy expanded by nearly 70%—a sign, according to EU Climate Commissioner Wopke Hoekstra, that sustainability and growth can go hand in hand. “We now need to double down and invest in clean technologies so industries can benefit from Europe’s green transition,” he said.

The energy sector showed strong progress, with renewable sources accounting for 24% of EU energy consumption in 2023. But the environmental impact of land use—especially agriculture and forestry—worsened, partly due to record-breaking wildfires across the continent.

Farmers across Europe protested throughout last year, criticizing the EU’s green regulations. In response, Brussels relaxed some environmental rules for agriculture, a sector that has largely avoided stricter climate obligations so far.

Europe remains the fastest-warming continent on Earth, with devastating floods and wildfires becoming increasingly common. Meanwhile, high energy costs and external trade concerns, like potential U.S. tariffs, have sparked calls from some governments to ease the EU’s green policies.

The 2030 climate goal is one of the most ambitious globally. While the Commission is preparing a 2040 emissions target, political resistance has delayed the proposal.

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