Environment Ministers finally set climate target, but open loophole for offset schemes

"Industry and investors look to us to set the direction, but this signal undermines the certainty they need. We know we have to make the real transition by 2050 anyway, it's just common sense to invest fully in renewable energy and green jobs here now, instead of wasting taxpayers' money elsewhere on dubious projects."

Brussels, 5 November 2025 – European Climate Ministers today set a climate target for the UN climate summit in Belém: 90% emission reduction by 2040 compared to 1990. But they simultaneously increased the possibility to offset climate efforts through international credits from 3% to 5%. "Good that there's finally a climate target, but ministers are opening the loophole even wider for countries that are too unambitious," responds MEP and Environment Coordinator in the Environment Committee Sara Matthieu (Groen/Greens).

While China, the UK and Australia already came forward with concrete targets before the UN deadline, the EU reached a compromise on EU climate targets for 2035 and 2040 after months of negotiations. But by raising the percentage of international carbon credits from 3% to 5%, the EU now wants to offset an even larger share of its climate efforts abroad instead of investing in the transition itself. Additionally, an extra emergency brake was added.
"Industry and investors look to us to set the direction, but this signal undermines the certainty they need. We know we have to make the real transition by 2050 anyway, it's just common sense to invest fully in renewable energy and green jobs here now, instead of wasting taxpayers' money elsewhere on dubious projects," says Matthieu.

N-VA and MR block Belgian position

Our country came to the table without a position on this crucial climate dossier. "We see every year what climate change does to our country: from the deadly floods in Pepinster to scorching heatwaves in our cities. Prime Minister De Wever is sabotaging our climate policy today. That's not only shameful, they're also increasing the risk of future climate disasters that we're already experiencing firsthand," says Matthieu.

Europe must lead the way

According to Matthieu, the climate summit in Belém is crucial to avoid climate chaos, but the international context is, to put it mildly, challenging: "'Drill baby drill' Trump withdrew from the Paris climate agreement yet again. Ten years after Paris, the world stands at a tipping point. All the solutions are there. But Trump and other fossil powers are sabotaging the climate fight. Europe must show courage and lead the way."
She points to the role of fossil interests: "There's one person who doesn't want us to come together: Donald Trump. He knows we're working toward the end of the oil industry. The US is the world's largest oil producer and the profiteering from oil and gas fuels Trump's policies. Europe must not cave to his blackmail."

Greens at climate summit

Sara Matthieu is MEP for Groen (Greens) and Environment Coordinator in the Environment Committee of the European Parliament. She will travel to Belém on 17 November to help pressure world leaders and make European climate ambition as ambitious as possible.Retry