COP30: EU countries dodge 2035 climate targets with statement of intent

Published on 19/09/2025 - 11:23 GMT+2

EU situation ministers announced connected Thursday evening a “statement of intent” connected clime targets for 2035 to  contiguous astatine adjacent week's UN General Assembly (UNGA), avoiding taking a determination connected a factual aim.

With subordinate states divided into much oregon little ambitious camps successful narration to a determination connected the 2035 climate people acceptable nether the Paris Agreement, alleged Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), European Commissioner for Climate Action Wopke Hoekstra told reporters the EU "will confront” New York adjacent week with a connection of intent establishing a people scope betwixt 66.25% and 72.5% for 2035, compared to 1990 levels.

When asked if the EU would contiguous a circumstantial fig for the 2035 people oregon support the scope proposal, Hoekstra hinted astatine the anticipation that some options “could really work” adding the thought is “being floated by different UN members”.

Member states volition proceed discussions connected the elements that volition alteration the feasibility of the projected targets, specified arsenic the information of c seizure storage, c removal via onshore and forestry oregon c credits arsenic portion of the wide calculations, Hoekstra said.

Despite disapproval from greenish groups, the EU clime main expressed assurance successful delivering a “clear and beardown position” earlier COP30 but noted the bloc needs much clip to formalize decisions.

After lengthy negotiations, the EU volition contiguous the connection of intent at the UN Climate Ambition Summit connected 24 September, alternatively of a clear NDC, frankincense missing the UN Framework Convention connected Climate Change deadline of 29 September.

NDCs indispensable beryllium fixed astatine EU level earlier the COP30 clime acme successful Brazil aboriginal this year, but the yearly gathering of satellite leaders astatine the UNGA adjacent week is adding governmental unit for the bloc to support its presumption arsenic a clime enactment leader.

“We proceed to basal agreed and volition talk with one, wide dependable astatine the UN. It shows a volition of the EU and its subordinate states to find solutions successful and beforehand planetary clime action,” said Danish clime curate Lars Aagaard.

Pressure to hole an ambitious 2035 people comes arsenic the EU is struggling to settee a 2040 clime people astatine home. The Commission has projected a binding people of 90% emissions reduction nether the bloc’s clime instrumentality which was besides discussed by ministers connected Thursday.

The NDC and the 2040 clime target statement volition beryllium backmost connected the array astatine the gathering of heads of State successful October, but a ballot connected either of the targets is improbable to instrumentality spot to debar either Hungary oregon Slovakia vetoing. Ministers could travel up with a statement during an bonzer situation ministers’ gathering “as soon arsenic possible” aft the Council meets successful October, according to Hoekstra.

Environmental NGO Climate Action Network (CAN) Europe said the connection of intent “falls acold abbreviated of the required ambition level” expected to scope clime neutrality by 2040.

“Without statement connected the 2040 target, the EU cannot implicit its NDC. Both the European Commission and galore subordinate states underlined contiguous that the 2035 milestone depends connected a 2040 decision,” CAN Europe stated.

Shirley Matheson, planetary NDC enhancement coordinator astatine the NGO WWF, said the EU should beryllium mounting the barroom precocious and regretted the “missed opportunity” for the bloc to “inspire others to follow”.

“This connection of intent is Olympic-level diplomatic gymnastics, a show designed to debar the embarrassment of arriving astatine COP empty-handed,” said Matheson.