EU on track to meet 2030 emissions goals

Published on 28/05/2025 - 17:02 GMT+2

The EU is “well on track” to reach its 2030 climate targets, the European Commission said on Wednesday.

An assessment of updated National Climate and Energy Plans (NECPs) shows the EU is on course to achieve a 54 per cent emissions reduction by 2030 - just one per cent shy of its legally binding 55 per cent target.

It reflects increased efforts by member states to curb their emissions over the last two years, despite demands from some for the bloc to weaken its green commitments.

But civil society organisations say there are significant flaws in these plans and they remain concerned about whether governments can fully implement them.

“The EU’s 2030 climate and energy targets are clearly achievable, but without effective national policies and credible financing - both of which are largely lacking in the updated plans - implementation will fall short,” says Climate Action Network (CAN) Europe’s climate policy expert Giulia Nardi.

Where have emissions been cut the most?

NECPs detail how each member state intends to reach the bloc’s long-term target of being climate neutral by 2050 and cutting emissions by 55 per cent by 2030 compared to 1990 levels.

The 2030 target is one of the most ambitious among major economies around the world. The Commission is now preparing to propose a new target for 2040 - one that could be as high as 90 per cent.

It attributed the progress towards the 2030 goal to action in the energy sector, with renewables covering 24 per cent of energy consumption in the EU in 2023. Most member states are now aligned with the target of reaching a share of 42.5 per cent by 2030, according to the Commission.

Agriculture and transport were among the sectors lagging behind on emissions cuts. Belgium, Estonia and Poland were also singled out for not submitting their NECPs and were urged to “do so without delay”.

“Emissions are down 37 per cent since 1990, while the economy has grown nearly 70 per cent, proving climate action and growth go hand in hand,” EU Climate Commissioner Wopke Hoekstra said.

He urged member states to “build on this momentum”, adding that investing in clean technology and innovation was “essential” for industrial competitiveness and opening up new markets for EU companies.

The Commission has called on countries to stay on course and fully implement the plans they have put forward.

“We have reasons to be proud, although we cannot be satisfied. We've come a long way, but we're not where we need to be yet,” said Energy Commissioner Dan Jorgensen.

Plans are only as strong as the processes implementing them

Civil society groups say that their preliminary analysis of these NECPs shows that major shortcomings still remain. They point out that many lack the necessary ambition and policies to deliver the emissions reductions required, particularly in the field of energy efficiency.

A coalition of NGOs from France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Sweden, Bulgaria, Cyprus, and Malta is calling on the European Commission to launch legal action against their governments. They believe that the shortcomings in their climate plans are not just policy failures but breaches of EU law.

States have a legal obligation to deliver climate action, and the Commission has a clear responsibility to uphold and enforce EU law in response.

CAN Europe also says that compulsory citizen involvement in the process has proven to be particularly weak with either opaque or flawed processes. It is a missed opportunity to strengthen plans by involving people in their creation.

“National climate plans are only as strong as the processes implementing them,” Nardi adds.

“By sidelining public participation and failing to establish clear accountability mechanisms, governments are weakening the foundation of their climate commitments.”