EU considers weakening 2040 climate goal over forest CO2 absorption

3/11/2025 6:17

The European Union is considering a brake clause to weaken its 2040 climate target in the future, if it becomes clear countries' forests are not absorbing enough CO2 emissions to meet the goal, a draft EU compromise proposal showed.



EU countries are attempting to approve their new 2040 climate target at a November 4 meeting of their climate ministers, just in time to avoid European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen going empty-handed to the U.N.'s COP30 climate summit with other world leaders on November 6.



But with some countries concerned about the costs to struggling domestic industries, the EU is considering various flexibilities and options to weaken the climate target, which the commission has said should be to cut planet-warming emissions 90% by 2040.



Countries' latest draft negotiating compromise, seen by Reuters on Sunday, added a new clause that said if forests and other land-based activities that absorb CO2 emissions fall short, the EU will be allowed to propose "an adjustment of the 2040 intermediate target corresponding to and within the limits

of the possible shortfalls".