12. 09. 2025
AUTHOR: Strategic Perspectives
Today, Germany joined France, Italy, Poland, and other countries in proposing to defer the decision on the 2040 target until after a new debate at the European Council. So, no decision on the target will be adopted at the Extraordinary Environment Council on 18 September. This postponement risks further delaying the decision and possibly resulting in a weak European Union (EU) climate goal, as leaders would get the opportunity to demand further concessions.
Executive Director Linda Kalcher commented:
“In a coup today, we saw Germany backing France on taking the 2040 debate to EUCO. This looks like a sleight of hand by the chancellor: he publicly backs the 90% and then calls for a process that makes it close to impossible to get a robust 2040 target agreed on time. We urgently need the Commission and presidency to confirm that EUCO will only debate it and not decide on a number for 2040, as unanimity for the 90% is difficult to achieve.”
Director Neil Makaroff added:
“By escalating the issue to the European Council, France risks triggering an institutional deadlock on climate policy, giving Hungary and Slovakia the leverage to block a deal or make it very costly. While France’s conditions on industry and investment are legitimate—ensuring that decarbonisation goes hand in hand with reindustrialisation—the real challenge is timing, with only a few weeks before COP. To avoid being perceived as aligned with the Visegrad group rather than with the defenders of the Paris Agreement, France has a responsibility to contribute to forging a deal on 2040 that unites all 27 in October.”
Media contact:
Mirta Baselovic, Communications Officer
mirta.baselovic@strategicperspectives.eu | +32 471 89 08 96
