European Union leaders agreed on Thursday, 23.10.2025, to move ahead with setting a 2040 emissions target, as the bloc races to finalize it before next month’s global U.N. climate talks. The decision comes despite growing resistance to green measures from some member states.
The EU’s proposed plan — to cut net greenhouse gas emissions by 90% by 2040 — aims to keep the bloc on course between its current legally binding target of a 55% reduction by 2030 and achieving net-zero emissions by 2050, a milestone scientists say is crucial to limiting the worst impacts of global warming.
Leaders endorsed proceeding with the 2040 goal but left key details for ministers to decide at a November 4 meeting. Disagreements remain over issues such as how much of the emissions cuts can be met by purchasing foreign carbon credits.
“None of us are questioning the goal of climate protection. All of us are of the opinion that we must combine this with the competitiveness of European industry,” said German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.
The leaders also agreed that the new target should include a “revision clause”, allowing for possible adjustments in the future. Some countries, including Poland, have argued this safeguard is needed in case green technologies advance more slowly than expected or if economic conditions hinder investment.
Wealthier western and northern EU members, further ahead in renewable energy and electric vehicle adoption, expressed more confidence but also called for flexibility — noting challenges such as forest damage from wildfires that reduce carbon absorption. They insisted that if forests underperform, other sectors should not be forced to cut emissions faster to meet the overall goal.
Talks also focused on financing and flexibility, as leaders discussed how to fund the clean transition while keeping energy affordable and protecting industries from global competition.
Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof said the EU should stay committed to its goals but ensure they remain achievable. “We will have to take a good look at how we keep them feasible for citizens and corporations,” he said.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen urged leaders to view the transition as an economic opportunity. “This is a major business opportunity for Europe,” she wrote ahead of the summit, emphasizing the need to face off competitors, particularly China.
Von der Leyen also pledged to revise several climate measures, including managing prices in the upcoming carbon market for transport fuels and strengthening the EU’s carbon border levy, a key demand of France. Brussels is also considering easing its 2035 combustion engine ban after pressure from Germany and Italy.
The EU missed a U.N. deadline last month to adopt its 2040 target and is now racing to do so before world leaders gather at the COP30 climate summit on November 6–7.
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