Move must still be agreed with member states
The European Parliament has voted to raise the EU’s emissions reduction target for 2030 from 40% to 60%, higher than the European Commission’s proposed 55%.
“This is a huge success for the climate,” said Dutch MEP Bas Eickhout, vice-chair of the parliament’s environment committee which called for a 60% target last month. “This vote shows that the European Parliament is listening to the science and the Fridays for Future movement.”
The 60% goal passed by a vote of 352 to 326, surviving opposition from the right.
“This is a huge success for the climate,” said Dutch MEP Bas Eickhout, vice-chair of the parliament’s environment committee which called for a 60% target last month. “This vote shows that the European Parliament is listening to the science and the Fridays for Future movement.”
The 60% goal passed by a vote of 352 to 326, surviving opposition from the right.
The European People’s Party, Europe’s most powerful political bloc which counts German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Commission president Ursula von der Leyen as members, said it fears the raised target when no other large economy is taking equivalent action could result in a lack of competitiveness.
Reuters reported that the parliament must now agree the target with EU member countries, “who are split over how ambitious it should be”. The article noted that a 60% target is unlikely to secure enough support, but said parliament backing a more ambitious target “could make it harder for countries to water down the target in the ensuing negotiations”.
