Overview
- An extraordinary Environment Council ended without agreement after marathon talks, leaving the legal adoption of the 90% emissions‑cut target for 2040 unresolved.
- The central dispute concerns international carbon credits: the Commission proposed a 3% share from 2036, Spain and Germany back that line, Italy and France want 5% from 2031, and Poland seeks 10% from 2031.
- A revised Danish compromise under preparation features a biennial review of the framework and an emergency brake if natural carbon removals underperform.
- To win support, negotiators are weighing a one‑year delay of ETS2 for transport and buildings to 2028, a move that faces pushback from climate‑ambitious countries.
- Italy leads a group pushing broader flexibilities and technology‑neutral tools such as sustainable biofuels and carbon capture, while others warn against weakening predictability as the EU readies its 2035 NDC for COP30.