EU Ministers struggle to reach consensus over emissions targets ahead of COP30

With the UN’s COP30 Climate Summit a few days away, the European Union member states are still scrambling to finalise its emissions targets, exposing deep divisions over the pace and cost of the green transition.  

  As the members prepare to meet in Brazil, the negotiations will resume on Wednesday, as Denmark –currently holding the EU presidency– pushes for a promise before the delegation.  

Talks in Brussels ended on Tuesday without an accord and continued through the night.

  A spokesman for Denmark said on early Wednesday, “We believe we have the basis for a political deal. We expect to formally conclude a deal when we resume in a few hours,”

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Summit with some idea

The Climate Summit is being conducted so that world leaders can get together and suggest measures which are degrading the quality of living and having a concept and mind could help to work and implement that field.  

French Environment Minister Monique Barbut had warned that turning up empty-handed to the summit would spell “disaster” for the EU.

Higher emissions

The EU has only cut about 37 per cent emissions compared to 1990 levels, becoming a major polluter to the climate along with China, India, and the United States.  

Tackling climate emissions has been a landmark step in the nation’s development.  

“It’s very, very difficult,” said an EU diplomat, summing up the state of play in Brussels late Tuesday.

The most urgent challenge for ministers is to reach a unanimous decision on an EU emissions target for 2035, known as a Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), which Paris Agreement signatories are supposed to bring to the COP30.

“I want our heads of state and government to go to Brazil with a very strong mandate, a clear leadership role for Europe,” German Environment Minister Carsten Schneider said.

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(With inputs from AFP)