On Wednesday 15 October, the Member States’ ambassadors to the EU (Coreper) agreed to refer back to ministerial level the EU Council’s provisional conclusions on the EU’s position ahead of COP30 in Belém (Brazil).
Meeting in a sector-specific Council on 21 October, the European Environment Ministers will still have to agree on two adjustments made by the Danish Presidency of the EU Council in the latest compromise version (see EUROPE 13730/9).
One of the points still being debated is the reference to carbon pricing instruments, considered to be “one of the most efficient and cost-effective means” of reducing emissions.
The second point is the addition of a paragraph on energy transition, echoing the wording of the EU Council conclusions on COP29 in 2024 (see EUROPE 13504/14). Some countries would consider it unnecessary to lengthen the text in this way. This paragraph refers in particular to “respect for each country’s energy mix” and calls on the parties to the Paris Agreement to contribute to global efforts to accelerate the development of “zero and low emission” technologies.
Among other things, the pro-renewables countries are reportedly unhappy that there is no direct reference to renewable energies in the text, according to one source.
On another subject, the document calls on all parties to the Paris Climate Agreement that have not yet done so to submit their ‘Nationally Determined Contribution’ (NDC) as a matter of urgency, and to bring their 2035 climate targets into line with those of the Paris Agreement.
However, the EU has not issued its NDC. As they have not yet agreed on a climate target for 2040, the EU Member States have simply validated a ‘declaration of intent’ containing an indicative range for reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 2035 (see EUROPE 13721/10).
A new ‘Environment’ Council recently planned by the Danish Presidency of the Council of the EU on 4 November will aim to find a solution to the negotiations on the 2040 objective and, by extension, the 2035 objective expected before the COP which begins on 10 November.
Before that, the Heads of State or Government will hold a discussion on the 2040 target, at the request of several Member States, including France and Germany (see EUROPE 13730/10).
Link to the draft conclusions: https://aeur.eu/f/iyd (Original version in French by Pauline Denys)