EU to Set 2035 and 2040 Climate Targets Ahead of COP30 After Missing UN Deadline

The European Union will announce new emissions-cutting targets for 2035 and 2040 ahead of the COP30 climate summit in November, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen confirmed on Tuesday. The bloc had missed the recent U.N. deadline to submit updated climate goals, known as nationally determined contributions (NDCs), while other major economies including China met the requirement.

Speaking via video at an EU event in Brussels, von der Leyen urged member states to balance ambition with pragmatism amid divisions over the goals. “The world has changed. Global competition is fierce and not always fair. We need more flexibility, more pragmatism, but by staying the course, we provide stability for workers, clarity for businesses, and certainty for investors,” she said, noting that Brussels was cutting red tape, investing in power grids, and working to ensure cheaper renewable energy for consumers.

However, internal disagreements and shifting priorities could delay agreement. Some EU countries, including France, Germany, and Poland, want leaders to debate the climate goals at a summit in late October, leaving only weeks to finalize targets before COP30 in Belem, Brazil. A senior Polish official admitted uncertainty, saying, “I don’t know whether we will be in time for Belem… it depends on many, many elements right now.”

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