Last attempt to agree EU climate target before COP

EU environment ministers are meeting in Brussels for a last-ditch attempt to agree a climate target before the COP climate summit. The European Commission has proposed to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 90 percent by 2040, but so far ministers have not been able to reach an agreement on that percentage. Under the Paris climate agreement, the EU must inform the UN of its ten-year plan to cut emissions before the COP meeting in Brazil. But it cannot do that until the long-term 2040 target has been set. Some member states are worried that setting a target that is too stringent will kill European industry. So far, ministers have only been able to agree to a range of cutting emissions between 66 and 72 percent by 2035. Speaking ahead of the meeting in Brussels this morning, the EU’s Climate Commissioner, Wopke Hoekstra, insisted that that is already an impressive objective.

 

Out words: Years to come

Dur: 0’20”