Europe’s ambitious 2040 climate target should consider EU enlargement, says the EESC

The negotiations on the EU 2040 climate target are currently in a deadlock. In today’s plenary, the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) decided to back the proposed Climate Law Amendment, urging the EU Council and the Parliament to seal the 90% target before COP30 in Brazil, warning Europe risks losing credibility if it drags its feet.

Teppo Säkkinen, rapporteur of the opinion, said: “As the fastest warming continent, decisive global climate action is in Europe’s own interest. If we want China, India and others to raise their ambition, we must show that we are serious ourselves.”

EU enlargement should be accounted for in the climate target, as by 2040 the EU is likely to have new members. Reconstruction of Ukraine could help the EU reach its climate goals, says Säkkinen. “Supporting climate action in countries like Ukraine, Moldova and the Western Balkans will pave their way to EU membership and eventually contribute directly to EU climate targets.”

Therefore, The EESC proposes to go further than the Commission’s initial draft and include international credits from candidate countries already from 2031. Among its other proposed amendments are:

• Ensuring high quality of international credits: Any credits must be of high integrity, and should be excluded from use in the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS). Reducing emissions in the EU should be the main priority of climate action.
• Exporting clean technologies: Adding exports of clean technologies to the law’s economic objectives and establishing a Clean Industrial Scoreboard to track jobs, innovation and Europe’s place in the global green economy.
• Food security and energy poverty: Inserting explicit requirements into the Climate Law to safeguard food production and reduce energy poverty to sustain rural communities and bring down power and heating bills for homes.

Säkkinen emphasised that ambition must go hand in hand with pragmatic policies. “A 90 % target is demanding, but achievable. To back ambition, we need enabling policies ensuring the competitiveness of European industries, a just transition and the use of all clean technologies.

The Committee calls for broad stakeholder dialogue to shape the policies supporting the 2040 target. “The transition must be grounded in real action to keep everyone onboard from entrepreneurs to workers, farmers and families, or it won’t succeed.”

Beyond climate goals, the opinion links decarbonization even to defence, urging Europe to invest in dual-use innovations such as decentralized clean power for military logistics and low-carbon materials for equipment and construction. Phasing out dependency from imported fossil fuels is also a matter of security for Europe.

As background, the opinion was also shaped using the Youth Test, ensuring the next generation’s perspective is central to Europe’s climate strategy. Success or failure in climate action will directly affect the quality of life for young Europeans in the decades to come. (ks)