Article by Luca Pons – Journalist, Fanpage.it
It took 24 hours of almost nonstop negotiations among all the European Union’s environment ministers, but the EU Council finally reached a climate agreement that sets a new target: a 90% reduction in emissions, compared to 1990 levels, by 2040. The proposal is not yet in force: now it’s up to the European Parliament to reach a position, followed by final negotiations. But this was considered the most important hurdle to overcome. Only Slovakia, Hungary, and Poland opposed the proposal, while Belgium and Bulgaria abstained. Italy, which had long led the opposition, was ultimately convinced by the compromise reached.
The proposal on the table, coming from the European Commission, was a revision of the climate law to introduce a new target, namely a 90% reduction in CO2 emissions by 2040. The overarching goal remains climate neutrality, to be achieved by 2050; this is an intermediate step to make the path towards reductions more concrete and detailed.
Among the new provisions is that to reach this threshold—a 90% reduction in CO2 emissions—member states will also be able to use so-called “international credits,” essentially environmental projects carried out in other countries outside the EU. These could include reforestation, investments in renewable energy, or other similar initiatives. These “credits” will be worth a maximum of 5% of the reduction (before the negotiations, the limit was 3%, but it was raised to accommodate skeptics).
These projects must be “high-quality,” with an “ambitious and cost-effective” contribution. Furthermore, from 2030 onward, it will be possible to evaluate whether to allow an additional 5% through domestic credits, by changing the law again.
One aspect that critics have been focusing on is the possibility of reviewing the 2040 target over time. Starting the year after the regulation’s adoption, and then every two years, the Commission will be required to evaluate the progress made in reducing CO2 emissions. It may also decide to lower the target if conditions warrant. There will also be an “emergency brake” that can be activated in the event of energy or economic crises.
Furthermore, it was decided to postpone ETS 2. The European mechanism that forces companies to pay if they exceed a certain quota of emissions was supposed to be extended to road transport and the heating of buildings as early as 2027, but the deadline has been postponed to 2028. Furthermore – and this is a point on which Italy was particularly pushing – in the revisions of environmental policies after 2030 the European Commission will have to take into account zero- and low-carbon fuels: this also includes biofuels.
The agreement comes just days before COP30, the international climate conference taking place in Belém, Brazil. There, the EU will announce its contribution to cutting emissions by 2035.
Italy led the way among the countries skeptical of the new agreement, but the Meloni government was ultimately persuaded by a series of compromises. Environment Minister Gilberto Pichetto Fratin said it was “a good compromise that accommodates the demands presented by Italy,” which were “relevant, important, and balanced.”
The next step, that of the European Parliament, is expected on November 13th. The law has passed the Environment Committee and will now reach the plenary assembly. The position will likely be similar to that adopted today by the member states.