EU Council, Parliament reach provisional deal to cut emissions 55% by 2030

Negotiators for the European Council and Parliament reached an informal agreement early April 21 on a new climate law aimed at reducing net greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% by 2030 compared to 1990, the European Council said in a statement.

The provisional deal marks the end of tough talks between the two after the Parliament backed a 60% reduction target in October last year.

Delegates agreed to prioritize emissions reductions over removals, setting a limit on removals of 225 million mt CO2 to the net 2030 target "in order to ensure that sufficient efforts to reduce and prevent emissions are deployed," the Council said.

They also agreed to aim for a higher volume of net carbon sink by 2030. A carbon sink, such as a forest, absorbs more CO2 than it releases.

Other elements of the provisional agreement include establishing a new European Scientific Advisory Board on Climate Change providing advice and reporting on EU measures, climate targets and indicative greenhouse gas budgets.

Negotiators also agreed that the European Commission would propose an intermediate climate target for 2040 within six months of the first global stock-take carried out under the Paris Agreement.

The EC was also tasked with publishing an indicative EU greenhouse gas budget for 2030-2050, outlining the expected volume of net emissions in the period without putting at risk the EU's commitments under the Paris Agreement.

Meanwhile, the EC is to work with sectors of the economy that choose to prepare indicative voluntary roadmaps towards achieving climate neutrality by 2050.

Finally, the provisional agreement set an aspirational goal for the EU to achieve negative emissions after 2050, the Council said.

The deal was reached by the Council's Portuguese Presidency and the European Parliament's representatives. It is subject to final approval by the Council and Parliament.