The European Parliament has approved a binding target to reduce net greenhouse-gas emissions by 90% by 2040 compared with 1990 levels, reinforcing the EU’s trajectory toward climate neutrality by 2050. The vote integrates the target into the European Climate Law, making it legally binding for member states and signalling a stronger legislative commitment to ambitious climate action. Lawmakers emphasised that this milestone is critical for aligning EU policy with the latest climate science, as global emissions must fall sharply to limit warming to 1.5°C.
The framework allows up to 5% of reductions to come from international carbon credits from 2036 onward and encourages domestic carbon-removal strategies to tackle hard-to-abate sectors. The expansion of the EU’s emissions trading scheme (ETS2) for buildings and transport has been postponed until 2028 to give industries and households time to adapt. Analysts highlight that the target could accelerate renewable energy deployment, energy efficiency upgrades, and low-carbon industrial innovation across the bloc. Additionally, it strengthens the EU’s influence ahead of COP30, demonstrating that Europe remains a global climate leader while balancing ambitious action with economic and social transition considerations. More