The European Union has agreed to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 90% by 2040 under a legally binding target, marking one of its most ambitious climate commitments to date.
The provisional agreement was struck late Tuesday between the European Parliament and EU member states, amending the bloc’s Climate Law as part of its long-term pathway to net-zero emissions.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Wednesday the deal demonstrated the EU’s firm commitment to climate action and the Paris Agreement, just weeks after the COP30 summit.
She described the accord as a “pragmatic and flexible plan” designed to maintain industrial competitiveness while accelerating the clean energy transition across the 27-nation bloc.
The binding 2040 benchmark strengthens the EU’s trajectory toward climate neutrality by 2050 and sends a signal to investors and global partners about policy certainty in Europe’s decarbonisation agenda.
The announcement follows the COP30 conference held in Brazil, where governments debated climate finance and implementation strategies but stopped short of explicitly referencing fossil fuels in the final text.
Brazil’s presidency at COP30 secured a compromise on scaling up financial support for developing nations, even as geopolitical divisions persisted over the pace of fossil fuel phase-outs.
Notably absent from the summit were official delegates from the United States, after President Donald Trump earlier this year withdrew the country from the Paris climate accord.
The EU’s move comes amid delays to parts of its planned emissions trading reforms, reflecting the bloc’s attempt to balance regulatory ambition with economic and political realities.
Analysts say the 90% target positions Europe as a global climate leader at a time of fractured international cooperation, reinforcing its role in shaping post-Paris climate governance despite growing transatlantic divergence.