The EU is considering lowering the 2040 climate target for the absorption of_CO2 from forests

The European Union is considering a brake clause to weaken its 2040 climate target in the future, if there is evidence that countries’ forests are not absorbing enough CO2 emissions to meet the target, a draft EU compromise proposal showed. EU countries are trying to approve their new 2040 climate target at a meeting of their climate ministers on Nov. 4, just in time to prevent European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen from going empty-handed to the U.N.’s COP30 climate summit with other world leaders on Nov. 6. However, with some countries concerned about the cost to their struggling domestic industries, the EU is exploring various flexibilities and options to weaken the climate target, which the Commission says should be to reduce global warming emissions by 90% by 2040. The countries’ latest draft negotiating commitment, seen by Reuters on Sunday, added a new clause that said if forests and other land-based activities that absorb CO2 emissions are not sufficient, the EU may propose “an adjustment of the 2040 intermediate target that corresponds and is within the limits of possible deficits.”

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