EU Climate Goals for 2040: Recognition Despite Adverse Circumstances

At a time when Europe is being shaken by an energy security crisis, inflation, and political shifts, the European Commission, under the leadership of Ursula von der Leyen, has shown significant determination by presenting new climate targets for the year 2040. Despite a challenging economic and social context marked by the aftermath of the crisis in Ukraine and farmers' protests, the Commission has managed to honor its commitments. This highlights the seriousness with which the EU pursues its climate goals, even though they may currently be relegated to the background for many citizens. However, the new regulation is also subject to critical scrutiny. Experts warn that the targeted CO2 reduction could have been more ambitious. The recommendations of the European Climate Advisory Board, a panel appointed by the EU itself to assess climate requirements and economic feasibility, were between a 90 to 95 percent reduction. It has been demonstrated that even achieving the upper threshold would be economically and socially sustainable. The Commission's propensity to aim for the lower end of the experts' recommendations should not be dismissed as an insignificant move, as each percentage point has far-reaching effects on the climate and our future.