Agreement reached on 2040 European Climate Law

Malta has succeeded in obtaining results in the political agreement on the European Climate Law, the environment ministry said on Wednesday. 

The agreement was reached during the meeting of the Council of Environment Ministers in Brussels on Wednesday, and was obtained through negotiations led by Minister for Environment Miriam Dalli.

“Today we achieved important results for our country”, she said.

The European Climate Law sets forwards the EU’s path towards the year 2040, which could foresee a 90% reduction rate of pollution, that will then be reflected in individual targets for member states.

“Thanks to the negotiations we led as Malta, the realities of small island states like ours are being clearly recognised. This is crucial for us”, said Minister Dalli, “It not only values the progress we have made in sectors such as energy but also helps us move forward to get even closer to a clean, zero-pollution economy,” she added.

The achievements of the agreement reflected a clear recognition of the realities faced by island states in the EU, such as Malta, which during the negotiations convinced the Danish Presidency and other Member States of the need to tangibly take these realities into account.

Flexibility in how emission reductions are measured and distributed across different sectors, balancing challenges in areas such as transport, was also discussed an agreed upon.

The inclusion of individual Impact Assessments for each Member State, based on the methodology used in the Fit for 55 package, will help to ensure that future targets for each country are determined in a fair and proportionate manner.

The Climate Law and the Nationally Determined Contribution were presented together as part of preparations for the COP 30 summit, an initiative where global leaders discuss the future of climate policy.