Weakening The EU 2040 Target Would Fail To Deliver Clear Signal To Businesses & Consumers - CleanTechnica

EU government ministers have agreed to a weakened 2040 emissions reduction target of 85%, allowing up to 5% of this reduction to be achieved through international carbon credits. This dilution of the target has raised concerns from Transport & Environment (T&E), which argues that it undermines Europe’s climate leadership and creates uncertainty for investments in green technologies. The reliance on international carbon credits, unless they meet stringent eligibility criteria, risks slowing down the transition to a sustainable economy. Additionally, the EU has delayed the implementation of the ETS2 carbon pricing system on road and heating fossil fuels by one year. T&E warns that this postponement will deprive governments of crucial revenues needed to fund green technology investments and support low- and middle-income households during the transition. Federico Terreni of T&E emphasized that weakening the 2040 target and delaying ETS2 jeopardizes both climate goals and energy security, urging the European Parliament to oppose the delay and uphold ambitious car CO2 standards to provide clear signals to businesses and