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Targets and Planning
EU climate and energy targets agreed by Member States are the foundation of EU climate action, and guide both EU policies and implementation at national level.
Why it matters
Setting clear emissions targets is essential to climate efforts and making sure that the world is heading towards a future where global warming is limited to 1.5°C, as set out in the Paris Agreement. They also provide a roadmap for action, helping governments and businesses plan effectively and measure their progress. In addition to emissions targets, the EU also has targets for renewable energy and energy efficiency, which give investors the signals they need and drive the action needed to stop the use of fossil fuels.
Reaching climate and energy targets requires thorough planning. While the EU sets the overall goals, each Member State develops its own national plans to meet them. A strong governance system is needed to make sure national efforts add up to meeting the EU’s climate targets. Coordinated action at all levels is key to tackling the climate crisis.
What WWF is doing
WWF works at EU and national levels to ensure the EU meets its commitments under the Paris Agreement, and is calling for:
Why it matters
Setting clear emissions targets is essential to climate efforts and making sure that the world is heading towards a future where global warming is limited to 1.5°C, as set out in the Paris Agreement. They also provide a roadmap for action, helping governments and businesses plan effectively and measure their progress. In addition to emissions targets, the EU also has targets for renewable energy and energy efficiency, which give investors the signals they need and drive the action needed to stop the use of fossil fuels.
Reaching climate and energy targets requires thorough planning. While the EU sets the overall goals, each Member State develops its own national plans to meet them. A strong governance system is needed to make sure national efforts add up to meeting the EU’s climate targets. Coordinated action at all levels is key to tackling the climate crisis.
What WWF is doing
WWF works at EU and national levels to ensure the EU meets its commitments under the Paris Agreement, and is calling for:
- Strong EU-level targets, including EU-wide climate neutrality (zero net emissions) by 2040 and a 65% cut in gross emissions by 2030.
- Setting separate targets for emissions reduction and carbon dioxide removal from the atmosphere.
- Strengthening climate planning processes in the Governance Regulation.
- A transparent and rigorous assessment of progress and of whether EU and national measures are consistent with climate goals.
Latest reports
Struggling for a Voice: The Mixed Reality of Public Participation in National Energy and Climate Plans (March 2025)
pdf 1.56 MBThe 2040 Horizon: Assessing The EU’S Climate Targets and Policies against 1.5°C Scenarios (February 2025)
pdf 5.14 MBTargeting Change: the EU’s 2040 Climate Target
pdf 3.59 MBUpdate on EU Member States' national Long-Term Strategies
pdf 1.07 MBPolicy consistency for climate – The EU case (October 2023)
pdf 497 KBContacts
Michael Sicaud-Clyet
Policy Officer, Climate Governance
+32 493 52 46 05
Florian Cassier
Communications Officer
+32 479 33 92 11
© Copernicus
Europe is the fastest-warming continent at a rate roughly twice the global average, with temperatures in the past decade around 2.1°C above pre-industrial levels
© iStock / WWF
Targetting Change
The EU's 2040 Climate Target
The EU is about to set its 2040 climate targets. On 6 February 2024, the European Commission published a communication proposing a 90% net greenhouse gas emissions reduction. However, given the importance of the climate crisis, this figure is not ambitious enough.
The year 2024 is set to be the hottest on record, with global sea levels rising by 21 cm since 1900. From 2011 to 2020, global temperatures were already 1.09°C above pre-industrial levels, and Europe saw a rise of over 2°C from 2013 to 2022. Current policies could lead to a 3.1°C global temperature increase, and between 2030 and 2050, climate change is expected to cause around 250,000 additional deaths annually.
These figures underscore the urgent need for stronger climate action addressed in this position paper.
© iStock / WWF
2040 Horizon
Assessing the EU's Climate Targets and Policies against 1.5°C Scenarios
This report evaluates the 90% net greenhouse gas emissions reduction by 2040, proposed by the Europen Commission in their impact assesment. WWF compared this assesment against 1.5°C compatible scenarios.
While the European Commission’s impact assessment for the EU’s 2040 climate target marks a significant step forward in Europe’s efforts to mitigate climate change. However, it still overlooks the additional reductions needed to reflect the EU’s historical emissions and fair share of the global effort, as well as the additional cumulative emissions resulting from a lack of ambition in the period to 2030.