Slovenia conditionally supports the proposal for a 90% reduction in emissions by 2040

Ljubljana – The Ministry of the Environment, Climate and Energy conditionally supports the proposal to amend the European Climate Law, which proposes a 90% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2040 compared to 1990 in Brussels. It is necessary to also ensure a supportive framework that will enable the achievement of the goal in a fair and effective manner, they explained. The non-governmental organization Focus warns that the EU should already achieve net zero emissions by 2040.

As they explained in response to STA on Thursday, the ministry stated that Slovenia welcomes the European Commission’s proposal to amend the European Climate Law, which was adopted by the College of Commissioners on Wednesday. They emphasized that Slovenia advocates for a credible and science-based target that appropriately follows the curve to achieve climate neutrality by 2050 at the latest, and is also in line with the goals of the Paris Agreement.

“Therefore, we conditionally support the proposal for a 90% reduction in net emissions by 2040, provided that it is ensured that the supportive framework – including regulatory, financial, and social aspects – will enable the achievement of the goal in a fair and effective manner. The proposal is also accompanied by a more detailed analysis of the effects, which we will examine more closely when preparing the official position on the proposal,” they stated.

“Slovenia will have to consistently implement the measures set out in last year’s adopted National Climate and Energy Plan to achieve the goal, which it will also need to update appropriately after the adoption of this more detailed legislation,” they announced at the ministry.

In the non-governmental environmental organization Focus, the new proposal to amend the Climate Law is seen as an important step, but it is set too far into the future. A professional associate from Focus, Taj Zavodnik, described it as a very costly compromise, as the EU should “in line with scientific findings achieve net zero emissions by 2040.” According to him, the Commission has succumbed to the pressures of some member states and some Members of the European Parliament, and as he stated, “we need decisive action, not accounting tricks.” (July 2 and 3)