German Chancellor Angela Merkel is “not very happy” about European Commission proposals to boost the EU’s 2030 greenhouse gas emissions reduction target.
“I think we first of all have to stick with the goals we have already set for ourselves. I don’t think constantly setting new goals makes any sense,” Merkel said in an interview Sunday with ARD public television. “At the moment I am not very happy regarding these new proposals since many member states are already today failing to comply with what they promised — and people are not going to accept that.”
The EU’s current climate target for 2030 is a cut of at least 40 percent, but the bloc’s recent decision to boost its renewable energy and energy efficiency goals for the next decade would allow the EU to also raise its emissions reduction target to at least 45 percent.
Energy and Climate Action Commissioner Miguel Arias Cañete has been keen to see that happen, but not all countries share his enthusiasm. Spain and Ireland have also expressed reluctance about formally boosting the target.
Berlin officially admitted earlier this year it will fail to meet its 2020 carbon emissions reduction goal.