EU recommends ambitious 2040 climate target, goes light on farming. STRASBOURG, Feb 6 (Reuters) - The European Commission recommended on Tuesday that the EU slash net greenhouse gas emissions by 90% by 2040, an ambitious target that will test political appetite for the region's fight against climate change ahead of EU elections.
Europe's climate agenda is entering a difficult phase as it begins to touch sensitive sectors, such as farming, and as traditional industries face fierce green tech competition from China. While the overall target was within the range recommended by the EU's official climate science advisers, the EU executive weakened part of the recommendation concerning agriculture, in response to weeks of protests by farmers angry about EU green rules, among other complaints.
A previous draft of the EU target, seen by Reuters, had said agriculture would need to cut non-CO2 emissions 30% by 2040 from 2015 levels to comply with the overall climate goal. That was removed from the final draft. "We need to make sure we have a balanced approach," European Commissioner Wopke Hoekstra told the European Parliament, as he unveiled the proposal. "The vast majority of our citizens sees the effects of climate change, does want protection, but is also worried about what that implies for their livelihood."
Tuesday's proposal will kick off political debate on the target, but it will be up to a new EU Commission and Parliament, formed after European Parliament elections in June, to pass the final target.
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