Climate Targets for EU Member States after 2030

Dr. Nils Meyer-Ohlendorf; Sabine Gores; Jakob Graichen

Climate Targets for EU Member States after 2030

Functions and Options

Publication: Document
Citation: Meyer-Ohlendorf, Nils et al. (2025): Climate Targets for EU Member States after 2030: Functions and Options. Ecologic Institute, Berlin.

Climate targets for Member States play an indispensable role in EU climate policies. They enable voters to hold national governments accountable for their climate policies. They also play a critical role in tracking Member States' progress and accelerating the adoption of climate measures. And they allow Member States to implement the climate policies that they consider best for their specific circumstances – while ensuring their collective commitment to the EU's climate goals.

A new paper by the Ecologic Institute and Oeko-Institut discusses how to design climate targets for Member States. The paper explores seven options how to best design national climate targets for the time after 2030. This paper is available for download.

Contact

Dr. Nils Meyer-Ohlendorf

Head, International and European Governance

Senior Fellow

Implementing the EU 2040 Climate Target: Building blocks and measures

Year 2025

Event:Conference

The Conference "Implementing the EU 2040 Climate Target: Building blocks and measures" took place in Brussels on 7 November2024. This conference convened experts, policymakers, and representatives of Member States and EU Institutions. At the event, participants discussed ways for the implementation of the EUs new 2040 climate targets. Participants also discussed key building blocks and key measures particularly relevant for cutting the EU's greenhouse gas emissions by net 90 % in 2040. Nils Meyer-Ohlendorf (Ecologic Institute) and Sabine Gores (Öko-Institute) presented preliminary results of the forthcoming report "Implementing the EU 2040 Climate Target: Building Blocks and Measures" were presented.

Implementing the EU 2040 Climate Target: Building blocks and measures

7 November 2024
Brussels, Belgium

Publication:Report

A new report by the Ecologic Institute and the Oeko-Institut explores the past contribution of the industry sector to already achieved emission reductions as well as the contribution of the industry sector to the upcoming 2040 climate target and what it takes for industry to achieve the related emission reductions. With a focus on measures and policies governing that would further reduce emissions in industry, the report also examines the key challenges faced by the industry sector and how this is addressed in EU legislation.

EU 2040 Climate Target: Contributions of the industry sector

Year 2024

Publication:Report

A new report by the Ecologic Institute and the Oeko-Institut explores the role of carbon removals in the EU's climate framework for 2040. The report gives an overview of past trends in carbon removals in the EU, and explores possible contributions from natural and technical sinks to reaching the 2040 climate target. With a focus on measures and policies governing and incentivizing carbon removals, the report also examines the extent to which temporary and permanent carbon removals can contribute to achieving the EU's 2040 target.

EU 2040 Climate Target and Framework: The Role of Carbon Removals

Potentials, incentives, and regulation

Year 2023

Publication:Report

This report by the Ecologic Institute and the Oeko-Institut provides an overview of design options for the EU's 2040 climate target and options for the implementation framework. The report discusses reforms how to make the EU climate policy framework fit for achieving the 2040 climate target.

EU 2040 Climate Architecture: Target Designs and Framework Options

Discussing design options for the EU 2040 climate framework

Year 2023

Publication:Report

This report by Ecologic Institute and the Oeko-Institut discusses the level of ambition of a 2040 EU climate target. The report analyses the implications of a 2040 climate target for Member States and sectors. It also discusses the political context in which the EU 2040 climate target will be negotiated.

Designing the EU 2040 Climate Target

Political context, level of ambition, implications for Member States and sectors

Year 2023

Project

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 EU Member States, sectors, and instruments.

EU 2040 Climate Target

Level of ambition and implications

Mar 2023 - May 2025

Language: English
Authorship: Dr. Nils Meyer-Ohlendorf

Sabine Gores (Oeko-Institut)

Jakob Graichen (Oeko-Institut)
Funding: Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK), Germany
Published by: Ecologic Institute, Germany

Oeko-Institut (Öko-Institut e.V.), Germany
Year: 2025
Dimension: 17 pp.
Project: EU 2040 Climate Target
Project ID: 60028
Table of contents: Click to show full table of contents

Executive summary
1    Introduction
2    Functions of national targets in EU climate policies
2.1    Measuring progress in emission reductions and ensuring transparency
2.2    Ensuring Member State responsibilities and accountability
2.3    Maintaining national ownership of climate policies and subsidiarity
2.4    Supporting the achievement of EU climate targets
2.5    Help ensure implement commitments under the Paris Agreement (National Determined Contribution)
2.6    Facilitating the adoption of measures in Member States
2.7    Accommodating different circumstances in Member States
3    Options: How to design national climate targets after 2030
3.1    Option 1: No national targets set by EU legislation after 2030
3.2    Option 2: Economy-wide national targets for emission reductions and removals in the ECL via an annex
3.3    Option 3: Economy-wide national targets for emission reductions and removals in the ECL via an obligation on Member States to adopt national targets in national law
3.4    Option 4: Continuation of the current CARE and LULUCF Regulation
3.5    Option 5: A reduced CARE scope, only emissions not covered by ETS 1 and 2
3.6    Option 6: National targets in national long-term strategies
3.7    Option 7: Targets for Member States in conclusions of the Council of Ministers
4    References
Keywords: Climate

EU

Governance

EU climate targets, national climate targets, post-2030 climate policy, emission reduction targets, EU Member States climate responsibility, CARE Regulation, LULUCF Regulation, European Climate Law, ETS 1 and 2, carbon pricing EU, governance of climate targets, net zero EU 2050, greenhouse gas removals, national accountability climate policy, subsidiarity in EU climate action, national long-term strategies, Council climate conclusions, climate neutrality pathways, distribution of climate efforts, EU climate law architecture, European Commission, European Parliament, Council of Ministers, CARE sectors, LULUCF sectors, ETS sectors, national climate laws, EU climate governance, Gross Domestic Product per capita EU, international transport emissions, UNFCCC, Paris Agreement, EU-27, EU-2040, EU-2030

European Union, EU Member States, Germany

Effort Sharing Decision evaluation, policy impact assessment, emissions benchmarking, pledge and review system, legal enforceability analysis, monitoring and reporting (MRV), national energy and climate plans (NECPs), emissions trading system compliance, GDP-based target differentiation, carbon removal accounting, scenario-based carbon pricing models, subsidiarity principle application, stakeholder consultation, target distribution formulas, regulatory impact analysis, governance regulation evaluation

Attachments

60028-EU-2040-Climate-Targets-EU-Member-States-2030.pdf (488.53 KB)

Further Links

PublicationReportImplementing the EU 2040 Climate Target: Building blocks and measures

Cover page of a report titled "Implementing the EU 2040 Climate Target: Building blocks and measures." Published by the Ecologic Institute and the Öko-Institut e.V. Authors listed are Nils Meyer-Ohlendorf, Nora Kögel, Sabine Gores, and Jakob Graichen, with the publication date of 12 January 2025.

The European Climate Law requires the EU to adopt a climate target for 2040. The European Commission recommends an EU climate target for 2040 of 90% reduction in net GHG emissions by 2040. To achieve emission reductions on this scale, the EU must meet its 2030 climate... Read more

Meyer-Ohlendorf, Nils et al. (2024): Implementing the EU 2040 Climate Target. Ecologic Institute, Berlin.

PublicationPolicy BriefBetween Climate Action and Competitiveness: Towards a coherent industrial policy in the EU

Cover of the Policy Paper "Between climate action and competitiveness: towards a coherent industrial policy in the EU" by Ecologic Institute

The pandemic, supply chain challenges, and growing geopolitical tensions have led decision makers and scholars to reconsider the roles of public policy and state intervention. For the EU, this conversation comes as the tensions between two imperatives – achieving... Read more

Martini, Leon, Benjamin Görlach, Lena Kittel, Darius Sultani and Nora Kögel (2024): Between climate action and competitiveness: towards a coherent industrial policy in the EU. Ecologic Institute, Berlin.

PublicationReportThe EU Carbon Removal Certification Framework

Cover page of the interim report titled 'The EU Carbon Removal Certification Framework: Options for using certified removal units and funding mitigation activities.' The report is part of the 'Climate Change 44/2024' series and is published by the German Environment Agency (Umweltbundesamt).

With the Carbon Removal Certification Framework (CRCF), adopted in 2024, the EU established a voluntary framework for carbon removal certification, which includes criteria for the certification of removals, rules for the certification process and the recognition of... Read more

Fallasch, Felix et al. 2024: The EU Carbon Removal Certification Framework: Options for using certified removal units and funding mitigation activities. Interim Report. German Environment Agency: Dessau-Roßlau.

PublicationReportPricing Methane Emissions from the Energy Sector

Stronger policies to reduce methane (CH4) emissions from the energy sector are urgently needed. The EU Methane Regulation (EU-MER) is a great opportunity and must be thoroughly implemented, as discussed in our previous reports. However, even with optimal implementation,... Read more

Piria ,Raffaele, Benjamin Görlach (2024): Pricing methane emissions from the energy sector: consideration of options, for the EU. Ecologic Institute, Berlin.

PublicationReportRaising the Bar on National Climate Governance in the EU

Cover of the report titled 'Raising the bar on national climate governance in the EU' by the Ecologic Institute.

The European Union's goal of achieving climate neutrality by 2050 hinges on the decisions made by its Member States. Strong national governance frameworks are crucial for guiding policy-making, gaining societal and political support, ensuring effective implementation,... Read more

Evans, Nick, Paula Schöberlein, Matthias Duwe (2024). Raising the bar on national climate governance in the EU: How EU policy can help Member States deliver certainty, accountability, consensus, and consistency on the road to net zero. Ecologic Institute: Berlin.

PublicationReportTowards Transformative EU Climate Policy

The EU has set itself the goal to become the first climate-neutral continent. The European Green Deal, the European Climate Law and the Fit-for-55 package are core steps to strengthen EU climate policy, and to deliver on the EU’s ambition to create a net-zero emissions... Read more

Görlach et al. (2024): Towards Transformative EU Climate Policy – Ten Recommendations from the 4i-TRACTION Project. Ecologic Institute, Berlin.

PublicationReport2024 Report: State of EU progress to climate neutrality

The image is a cover page for a report titled "State of EU progress to climate neutrality." The cover features the following elements: Title: The title "State of EU progress to climate neutrality" is prominently displayed in bold white text on a deep purple background. Subtitle: Below the title, the subtitle reads, "An indicator-based assessment across 13 building blocks for a climate neutral future." Date: The date "July 2024" is shown below the subtitle.

The EU is making promising progress on the road to climate neutrality but needs to keep up the pace to achieve the goal. This is the result of the second progress report by the European Climate Neutrality Observatory (ECNO), which has analysed developments in over 100... Read more

Velten, Eike Karola et al. 2024: Flagship Report: State of EU progress to climate neutrality. An indicator-based assessment across 13 building blocks for a climate neutral future. European Climate Neutrality Observatory (ECNO).

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