The European Union will establish new emissions-cutting targets for 2035 and 2040 ahead of the COP30 climate summit, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced Tuesday, September 30th—following the bloc’s failure to meet a key UN deadline.
The pledge is rumored to be delayed by the many disagreements within the EU itself. Liberal-led countries argue for a sweeping green transition while their own energy sectors are struggling, while others try to stay realistic, where strong, competitive industries need less regulation and more efficient power generation.
“Ahead of COP30 in Belem, we will set NDC [Nationally Determined Contributions] targets for 2035 and 2040,” von der Leyen said in a video address to an EU event in Brussels, referring to the “nationally determined contributions” that form the backbone of the UN climate process.
The EU missed a UN deadline earlier this month to submit these targets, a step that other major economies, including China, have already completed.
In her official message, von der Leyen acknowledged the need for a new approach but insisted Europe would not abandon its climate ambitions:
The world has changed. Global competition is fierce and not always fair. We need more flexibility, more pragmatism.
While promising to “stay the course” to provide stability for workers and investors, she once again chose ideology and progressivism over taking the initiative for European industry.
Von der Leyen pointed to efforts to cut red tape for businesses and boost investment in power grids as part of a strategy to maintain economic competitiveness while pursuing climate goals. Despite this half-hearted attempt, significant obstacles remain.
Key member states—including France, Germany, and Poland—have called for a leaders’ debate on the new targets at an EU summit in late October. This leaves an extremely narrow window to broker a complex agreement before the COP30 talks begin in Belem, Brazil, in November.
The delay underscores the political friction within the bloc. Some governments, facing economic headwinds and increased defense spending needs, have urged the Commission to slow its climate regulatory push. This internal hesitation is compounded by the global shift away from climate action, as many countries prioritize a working economy over senselessly spending billions on inefficient systems.
A recent report showed Germany broke records by wasting the most on sustainability and pro-climate initiatives in foreign countries. The German economy, fighting stagnation with threats of a recession looming, is spending billions of euros on projects abroad, with little to no impact on Germany whatsoever. Voters have become fed up with these programs over the past decade, now many countries are aiming to be rational again.
