The EU will have to keep both feet on the ground and acknowledge that a 90 percent reduction in greenhouse gases by 2040 is not realistic.
This is according to Hungary's Environment Minister, Anikó Raisz.
With this, she puts into words the resistance that the EU Commission's proposal for a new 2040 climate target for the EU is facing at an upcoming EU summit.
This is happening ahead of a ministerial meeting in Brussels on Thursday, where the EU countries' climate ministers will discuss both the 2040 target and a declaration of intent on the 2035 target, which the EU will submit to the UN before the COP30 climate summit in Brazil in November.
- We have said from the beginning that the 90 percent target is overambitious.
- We must have an ambition, but it must be realistic. We will have to keep both feet on the ground, says Anikó Raisz.
Not surprising, but ominous
The announcement is not surprising, but it is ominous for the discussion awaiting an upcoming EU summit on the EU's 2040 climate target.
The Danish EU presidency had originally hoped that the EU countries would decide at the ministerial meeting on Thursday to set the target of a 90 percent reduction in greenhouse gases compared to the level in 1990.
At Thursday's ministerial meeting, the decision can be made by qualified majority.
The EU's two most populous countries, Germany and France, have - supported by industrially heavy countries such as Italy, Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic - however demanded that the matter be raised at an EU summit.
This opens the way for Hungary's Prime Minister, Viktor Orbán, to potentially be equipped with veto power over the 2040 target.
However, it is still unclear whether the leaders of the EU countries at the summit will only give their guidance on how the target should be set. Or whether they will make the decision itself.
If they are to make the decision, it will require agreement among the leaders of all 27 EU countries.
And it will probably be a no to a 90 percent reduction from Hungary, according to Anikó Raisz, who, however, emphasizes that this question is up to Orbán and the leaders of the other EU countries.
- You have to look at where we stand right now. When you look at the figures, Hungary has achieved a 48 percent reduction in greenhouse gases, while the EU as a whole has only achieved 38 percent. 16 out of the 27 EU countries are below average. 11 countries are above average.
- We do not understand why EU countries that have not been able to deliver so far are voting for a high reduction target, says Anikó Raisz.
She believes that EU countries will have to shift their focus from setting targets to how to achieve the target.
- The world is watching, but the world does not see what we write on a piece of paper, but what we deliver in terms of results.
- If we can show the world that we can reduce emissions while maintaining our competitiveness and a strong economy, then it will work. If we do the opposite, it will not convince our global partners, says Anikó Raisz.
She maintains that Hungary "believes in green transition", but the starting point will have to "be based on realities".
- We are happy that it is now coming up at an EU summit, because it is not just a climate issue. It affects the economy across Europe, says Anikó Raisz.
/ritzau/
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