Swedish pessimism after disagreement on EU climate goals
Brussels – An extra meeting for the environment ministers was convened in Brussels so that EU countries could agree on climate targets for both 2035 and 2040. However, no consensus was reached. Instead, they will have to settle for a joint declaration of intent.
“A great disappointment,” says Sweden’s climate and environment minister Romina Pourmokhtari. She is concerned that the delay makes it harder for the EU to bring something concrete to the next major climate meeting, COP30, in Brazil in November.
“Hesitation is a luxury we cannot afford. We have come a long way and do not believe that an extension will lead to greater success, but rather dilute both the law (on the 2040 target) and our NDC (on 2035) in the end,” she said in Brussels on Thursday.
Among the hesitant are mainly countries like Hungary, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic, which outright say no to the 90% emissions reduction target for 2040 proposed by the EU Commission.
Climate Commissioner Wopke Hoekstra remains optimistic about eventually bringing all parties together.
“Processes in politics are almost never a straight line from A to B. I am quite convinced that we will resolve this in the coming weeks,” Hoekstra said.
(September 18)
