90% cut in emissions: European Commission's ambitious 2040 plan

Strasbourg: The European Commission recommended on Tuesday that the EU slash net greenhouse gas emissions by 90% by 2040, an ambitious target that will test political appetite for the region's fight against climate change ahead of EU elections.

While the overall target was within the range recommended by the EU's official climate science advisers, the EU executive weakened part of the recommendation concerning agriculture, in response to of protests by farmers angry about EU green rules, among other complaints.

A previous draft of the EU target, seen by Reuters, had said agriculture would need to cut non-CO2 emissions 30% by 2040 from 2015 levels, to comply with the overall climate goal. That was removed from the final draft. "We need to make sure we have a balanced approach," European Commissioner Wopke Hoekstra told the European Parliament, as he unveiled the proposal. "The vast majority of our citizens sees the effects of climate change, does want protection, but is also worried about what that implies for their livelihood."


Tuesday's proposal will kick off political debate on the target, but it will be up to a new EU Commission and Parliament, formed after EU elections in June, to pass the final target.

Polls show the election could deliver a major shift to the right in the EU Parliament, which could make passing ambitious climate policies harder.

The Commission said the EU should set an economy-wide 2040 target for 90% net greenhouse gas cuts compared with 1990 levels, confirming drafts of the recommendation previously reported by Reuters. The aim is to keep European Union countries on track between the EU's existing 2030 climate goal and its long-term aim of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050.