The European Climate Law obliges the EU to adopt a legally-binding 2040 climate target. To this end, the Commission must present a legislative proposal by May 2024. Against this background, the Ecologic Institute and the Oeko-Institute have launched a project to analyse the ambition level of the 2040 target. The project also examines the impacts of a new 2040 target on Member States, sectors, and instruments. Additionally, the project aims to inform a broad debate about the 2040 target in the EU, Poland, Czechia, Germany and other Member States. 300Gospodarka from Poland and the Association for International Affairs from Czechia are partners in this project. The project is supported by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action.

This project is developing ideas and proposals for an ambitious EU-wide target for 2040. Sector contributions and sector targets are discussed and, if necessary, formulated. In addition, implementation measures and adjustments to current EU legislation are analysed. Concrete ideas for the design of instruments are also developed.

Project publications:

• EU 2040 Climate Target and Framework: The Role of Carbon Removals – Potentials, incentives, and regulation
• EU 2040 Climate Architecture: Target Designs and Framework Options – Discussing design options for the EU 2040 climate framework
• Designing the EU 2040 Climate Target – Political context, level of ambition, implications for Member States and sectors
• EU 2040 Climate Target: Contributions of the industry sector
• EU 2040 Climate Target: Contributions of the agriculture sector
• EU 2040 Climate Target: Contributions of the transport sector
• EU 2040 Climate Target: Contributions of the buildings sector