EU seeks 2030 climate deal by delaying decision on details

(EurActiv, 11 Dec 2020) As negotiations between European Union countries on a tougher climate change target stretched into Thursday evening, leaders turned to a potential compromise that would postpone to 2021 decisions on the finer points of the deal.

Leaders from the 27-country EU are meeting in Brussels to hammer out a deal on a new target to cut net greenhouse gas emissions at least 55% by 2030, from 1990 levels, upgrading an existing plan to cut by 40% this decade.

On Thursday evening, the negotiations boiled down to familiar tussles between wealthier countries who favour ambitious climate action, and a handful of central and eastern states with coal-based power systems and energy-intensive infrastructure, seeking detailed assurances on how the target would be delivered.

Officials said diplomats were drafting a deal that would confirm the new climate target, but leave some of the finer details to be decided at another leaders’ meeting next year.

Countries including coal-heavy Poland, the Czech Republic and Hungary had sought assurances that promised funding from the EU carbon market for poorer countries would not be reduced.

They also called for a deal to confirm that future national emissions-cutting targets set by Brussels for certain sectors would be based on GDP.

External link

EurActiv, 11 Dec 2020: EU seeks 2030 climate deal by delaying decision on details