• The EU aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 90% by 2040 compared to 1990 levels.
• A controversial allowance for using carbon credits from outside the EU has been included to gain support from skeptical member states.
• The proposal faces opposition from climate groups due to fears it could undermine direct emission reductions.
• The timeline for negotiations is tight, with a goal to finalize the target by mid-September ahead of the UN climate conference.
• Leaders from various EU nations express concerns about the practicality and impact of the ambitious target.

The European Commission has proposed a legally binding climate target for the EU to cut its net greenhouse gas emissions by 90% by 2040 from 1990 levels. This ambitious goal is aligned with the bloc's broader aim of achieving climate neutrality by 2050, aiming to enhance predictability for investors while boosting clean energy innovation and strengthening energy security across Europe, according to Reuters, Le Monde, Anadolu Agency, and Channel News Asia.

This newly proposed target incorporates controversial flexibilities, allowing EU countries to count up to 3% of their emissions cuts by purchasing carbon credits from projects outside Europe starting in 2036. This move aims to appease skeptical member states such as the Czech Republic and Italy, which express doubts regarding the feasibility of meeting a 90% cut and the economic implications of stricter regulations, reports Reuters and Channel News Asia.

In light of the intensifying summer heatwaves across Europe, which scientists attribute to climate change, the EU faces increasing pressure to outline a clear and practical path toward achieving its ambitious climate goals. EU climate chief Wopke Hoekstra has noted the need to balance ambition with pragmatism, as internal debates on the proposed measures intensify among member states, according to Le Monde and Anadolu Agency.

Environment ministers from EU nations are set to discuss the proposal in a meeting scheduled for mid-July, leading up to an expected vote on September 18. The final approval also relies heavily on support from key lawmakers in the European Parliament, indicating the contentious nature of the upcoming negotiations, according to Reuters, Le Monde, Channel News Asia, and Anadolu Agency.

The proposed 2040 target aims to serve as a guide for the EU's post-2030 climate and energy framework and is viewed as a crucial step ahead of the upcoming COP30 climate conference in Brazil, emphasizing the urgency for expedited negotiations amidst a backdrop of rising climate skepticism across Europe, as highlighted by Le Monde, Channel News Asia, and Anadolu Agency.