Ambitious Car CO2 Standards More Important Than Ever After Lawmakers Vote To Weaken 2040 Target - CleanTechnica

EU lawmakers have voted to weaken the 2040 climate emissions reduction target from 90% to 85%, signaling continued commitment to climate action but with less ambition. Alongside this, the implementation of the EU’s carbon pricing mechanism on road and heating fossil fuels (ETS2) has been delayed by one year. While this delay is seen as a setback by environmental groups like Transport & Environment (T&E), it is considered preferable to a proposed three-year postponement that would have significantly reduced government revenues and increased ETS prices. T&E emphasizes that despite these setbacks, member states must use ETS2 revenues proactively to support low- and middle-income households and invest in green technologies. The weakening of the 2040 target and the ETS2 delay underscore the heightened importance of maintaining ambitious car CO2 standards, which provide a clearer and more immediate signal to businesses and consumers about Europe’s green transition. T&E warns that diluting these foundational elements of the EU Green Deal risks prolonging dependence on volatile fossil fuel