In July 2025, the Commission proposed an amendment to the European Climate Law to set an EU climate target for 2040. We recommended reducing the EU’s net greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 90% by 2040, relative to 1990, as set out in the Commission Political Guidelines for 2024-2029.
The 2040 climate target will reaffirm the EU’s determination to tackle climate change and will shape our path after 2030, to ensure the EU reaches climate neutrality by 2050. The climate neutrality objective is at the heart of the European Green Deal, and is a legally binding objective set out in the Climate Law.
Our 2030 climate target is to reduce net GHG emissions by at least 55% relative to 1990. The 2040 proposal builds on this target and sets out a pragmatic and flexible pathway towards a decarbonised European economy by 2050.
The proposed 2040 climate target takes full account of the current economic, security and geopolitical landscape in alignment with the EU Competitiveness Compass, Clean Industrial Deal and Affordable Energy Action Plan. It provides the necessary predictability and stability for investments in the EU's clean energy transition and for driving industrial competitiveness.

This image is a complex, multi-coloured line graph showcasing the projected trends of various sectors in relation to greenhouse gas emissions. The graph's x-axis represents time, starting from 2015 and ending in 2050, while the y-axis indicates the GHG emissions in metric tons of CO2 equivalent. The sectors included are Industrial removals, Land Use, Land-Use Change and Forestry (LULUCF), Waste, Agriculture, Buildings, Transport, Industry, Energy Supply, and Net GHG emissions. Each sector is represented by a differently coloured line. The graph displays a significant reduction in GHG emissions across multiple sectors as time progresses, with some sectors even reaching negative emissions. Notably, the 'Industry' line excludes non-BECCS industrial removals, while the 'Energy Supply' line excludes Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS). The source of the data for this graph is cited as the Commission impact assessment. Overall, this graph serves as a detailed depiction of the projected trends in greenhouse gas emissions across various industries over a span of 35 years.
Reducing our net emissions by 90% by 2040 will:
- put us on course towards climate neutrality by 2050, building a healthier and safer future for Europeans
- ensure predictability for citizens, businesses and investors, by making sure that resources invested now and in the upcoming decades are compatible with the EU’s pathway to climate neutrality, avoiding wasted investments in the fossil fuel economy
- boost the competitiveness of Europe’s businesses, create stable and future-proof jobs, and enable the EU to lead in developing the clean technology markets of the future
- make Europe more resilient and strengthen its strategic autonomy
The proposal introduces the possibility to use flexibilities in how the targets can be met and supports the creation of the right enabling environment. These new flexibilities include a possible limited role for high-quality international carbon credits in the second part of 2030-2040, the use of domestic permanent removals in the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) and enhanced flexibilities across sectors. The Commission will ensure that these flexibilities are reflected in designing the post-2030 sectoral legislation needed to achieve the 2040 climate target in a cost-effective way and ensuring a just and socially fair transition for all.
The Commission’s legal proposal follows a substantial period of consultation and engagement with EU countries, the European Parliament, stakeholders, civil society and citizens, initiated with the Commission Communication and recommendation on the 2040 climate target in February 2024. This was informed by a public consultation which took place from 31 March to 23 June 2023, in which we invited citizens and stakeholders to share their views on the EU’s climate target for 2040. The 2040 climate target proposal is based on the Commission’s detailed impact assessment and the advice of the European Scientific Advisory Board on Climate Change.
Next steps
The Commission’s 2040 EU climate target proposal has been submitted to the European Parliament and the Council for discussion and adoption under the ordinary legislative procedure.
At the international level, the EU is required to submit an updated Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) under the Paris Agreement, ahead of the UN Climate Change Conference (COP 30) taking place in November 2025 in Brazil. The Commission will now work with the Council Presidency to finalise the communication of the EU's NDC.
- EU Climate Law: new way to reach 2040 targets
- Press release on legal proposal for a 2040 Climate Target
- Legal proposal for 2040 Climate Target
- Communication on delivering the Clean Industrial Deal
- Q&A
- Factsheet
- Staff Working Document
- Communication on a 2040 Climate Target
- Impact assessment on a 2040 Climate Target
- Executive Summary of the impact assessment
- Press release on the recommended 2040 Climate Target
- Factual summary report on the public consultation
- In-depth report on the public consultation
- Supplementary information: data for the graphs presented in the impact assessment
- Technology assumptions used in modelling
- Methodological note on modelling of agriculture non-CO2 emissions
- Macro-economic assessment of climate impacts on the EU economy