EU Submits 2040 Climate Goal Ahead of COP30, Targets 90% Emissions Cut

By Paolo DeAndreis

Nov. 7, 2025 16:09 UTC

Summary

The European Union has committed to reducing its greenhouse gas emissions by 90 percent by 2040 compared to 1990 levels, as outlined in its new nationally determined contribution submitted to the United Nations ahead of the COP30 climate summit in Brazil. The EU’s revised NDC includes interim goals such as a 2035 milestone of 66.25 to 72.5 percent emissions reduction, aiming to achieve full carbon neutrality by 2050, with a focus on decarbonizing economies and expanding renewable energy capacity worldwide.

The European Union has formally set a new goal to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions, pledging to cut net emissions by 90 percent by 2040 compared with 1990 levels.

In a new submission to the United Nations , the 27-member bloc outlined its new target as part of its nationally determined contribution (NDC) ahead of the COP30 climate summit.

The United Nations conference will take place from November 10 to 21 in Belém, Brazil. All participating countries are expected to present updated NDCs, which under the Paris Agreement must be revised every five years.

The Council of the European Union said the revised NDC includes an indicative 2035 milestone of 66.25 to 72.5 percent emissions reduction, setting the trajectory toward full carbon neutrality by 2050. The bloc also reaffirmed its existing 2030 target to cut emissions by 55 percent compared with 1990 levels.

The NDC highlights progress already made: renewable sources generated 44 percent of EU electricity in 2023, with 47 percent projected for 2024. These gains, the Council said, support COP30’s focus on decarbonizing economies and expanding renewable energy capacity and efficiency worldwide.

Among the interim goals are an 11.7 percent reduction in energy consumption by 2030, zero emissions from new cars by 2035, and a predominantly fossil-free energy sector by mid-century.

The EU also plans to achieve a net carbon sink of 310 million tons of carbon dioxide equivalent by 2030, meaning that European land and forests will absorb more carbon than they emit. This would represent an additional 42 million tons captured annually compared with the 2016 – 2018 average.

Carbon removals — through forests, soil management, and wetland restoration — are described as essential complements to emission reductions. Such measures are supported through the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), which allocates funds for sustainable agriculture and soil carbon storage.

The updated NDC introduces the EU’s new carbon removal certification framework, adopted in 2024, which establishes the first EU-wide standards for certifying and verifying carbon removals. Projects must show measurable, verifiable, and permanent carbon benefits, with safeguards against double counting and short-term storage claims.

Each certified project must also demonstrate biodiversity co-benefits. Activities like rewetting peatlands or restoring soils must strengthen ecosystems as well as cut emissions.

The NDC prioritizes domestic carbon removals but allows limited use of verified international credits, such as forest restoration or renewable energy projects abroad, as a complement — not a substitute — to internal reductions.

This provision drew criticism from Germanwatch, which described it as a loophole that could weaken the plan’s integrity. Still, the use of carbon credits in agriculture is gaining traction, as seen in the International Olive Council’s pilot program to help olive farmers earn credits for sustainable land management.

Some observers noted that the final agreement followed intense negotiations among member states, with Le Monde and others describing it as a product of concessions more than consensus. Critics pointed to flexibility granted to Italy, allowing up to five percent of its reductions to come from international credits, and a clause to review targets every two years.

Despite those compromises, several organizations and governments welcomed the 2040 goal. In Spain, public health groups called it “a decisive step in public health,” while in Germany, the energy industry association BDEW said the deal offers investment certainty. French officials also praised the agreement, with environment minister Monique Barbut expressing satisfaction that the 90 percent target was preserved.

“At COP30 this week, we will reaffirm our strong commitment to the Paris Agreement,” said European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen. “The global transition to clean energy is ongoing and irreversible. Our priority is to ensure that this transition is fair, inclusive, and equitable.”

Official information on COP30 is available on the UNFCCC website, with related updates compiled by the United Nations here.