AUSTRIAL THE AMARITION FORSITION: Matched decision on the EU target!

AUSTRIAL THE AMARITION FORSITION: Matched decision on the EU target!

On September 6, 2025, Austria announced its support for plans for several EU member states to postpone the determination of the European climate target for 2040. Originally, a decision was scheduled for September 18, but it is now to be relocated to a later meeting of the heads of state and government. At this meeting, unanimity would have to be achieved, which enables the Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán to take a veto. The background to this shift is the upcoming submission of an intermediate destination for 2035 at the United Nations, which depends on the requirements for 2040.

Criticism of the position of Austria comes from the Greens, who express concerns that this could send a dangerous signal of the delay before the upcoming World Climate Conference. In addition, environmental organizations such as Greenpeace and Global 2000 warn of the negative consequences of this decision. In contrast, business representatives are calling for reliable and long -term requirements, but at the same time indicate that targets that are too ambitious could disadvantage European companies.

European climate goals in focus

As part of the “Green Deal”, the EU has undertaken to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 205 percent compared to 1990 and become climate -neutral by 2050. In this context, the climate target for 2040 is intended to ensure that the 2050 goals remain realistically accessible and offer orientation for necessary investments. The EU Commission has spoken in favor of reducing emissions by 90 percent by 2040.

In its climate protection policy, the EU pursues the goal of weakening the effects of climate change and reducing environmental and climate-damaging activities. Important influencing factors for this are international climate protection agreements such as the UN climate framework, the Kyoto protocol and the Paris Agreement. In this context, the EU has already made remarkable progress, for example the target brand for reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 20 percent compared to 1990, which is also due to Corona pandemic.

Greenhouse gas emissions in numbers

In 2022, a total of around 3,375 million tons of greenhouse gases were emitted in CO₂ equivalents in the EU-27. The most important causes are Germany, France, Italy and Poland, which together contribute around 57 percent to these emissions. Germany alone contributed over 22 percent of total emissions. In 2020, the emissions of the EU were around 3 million kilotons of CO₂ equivalents, with the energy sector with 26 percent, traffic and industry with 22 percent and the building sector with 13 percent among the largest causes.

An essential part of the EU climate strategy is the long-term strategy "a clean planet for everyone" that aims to set net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. This is supported by national energy and climate protection plans and the legal anchoring of greenhouse gas neutrality by the EU climate law, which was decided in July 2021.

In view of the scarce deadlines and the upcoming World Climate Conference, it will be exciting to observe whether the heads of state and government can agree on the shifted decision regarding the 2040 climate target. The challenge remains to find a balance between ambitious goals and the economic reality of the EU member states.

Austria's role in this context continues to be critical of both political actors and environmental organizations that fight for clear and future -oriented positioning in international climate protection.

For a detailed analysis of EU climate policy, visit the pages of the Econews, the Federal Environment Agency as well as the current database too Greenhouse gas emissions in the EU.