Brussels, 4 March 2016

Environment ministers meeting in Brussels today have joined calls for the EU to increase its 2030 carbon target. On Wednesday, the European Commission failed to recommend a review of the EU’s target to match commitments under the Paris climate deal of 2015.

Germany, Austria, Belgium, Portugal and Luxembourg asked the European Commission to review the EU’s carbon target to bring it line with the Paris deal. Ministers from the UK, France, Sweden, Greece and Denmark also called for the EU’s efforts to be stepped up.

Greenpeace EU climate and energy policy adviser Bram Claeys said: “It may have surprised the Commission, but country after country has come out in support of stronger European efforts to tackle climate change. This should reboot Europe’s climate ambition. It’s a clear signal the Commission cannot ignore.”

The EU’s target to cut carbon emissions by at least 40 per cent (compared to 1990 levels) is based on an objective to limit temperature rise to 2°C. However, the EU agreed in Paris to pursue efforts to limit global temperature rise to 1.5°C.