BRUSSELS — EU climate ministers on Tuesday were considering further weakening their planned 2040 climate target, EU diplomats told Reuters, a last-ditch attempt to pass the goal and avoid going to the UN COP30 summit in Brazil empty-handed.

The European Union had hoped to clinch backing from member countries to cut emissions 90% by 2040, from 1990 levels. The upcoming COP30 talks will test the will of major economies to keep fighting climate change in the face of opposition from US President Donald Trump.

After 13 hours of negotiations failed to yield a breakthrough, ministers on Tuesday evening were discussing various options to weaken the 90% emissions-cutting goal. These included buying foreign carbon credits to cover 5% of the target, EU diplomats told Reuters.

That would effectively weaken to 85% the emissions cuts required from European industries. It would make up the rest by paying foreign countries to cut emissions on Europe’s behalf.

The European Commission had originally proposed a 90% emissions-cutting target, with a maximum 3% share of carbon credits.

Countries including France, Italy and Portugal had demanded the 5% flexibility, while others including Poland sought as much as 10%. Spain and the Netherlands were among those opposed to weakening the target further, said the diplomats, who were granted anonymity to discuss the closed-door negotiations.

Ministers were debating a raft of other options, the diplomats said – including a clause to allow a further weakening of the 2040 goal by adding more carbon credits in future, plus fresh changes to an upcoming EU carbon market, which Poland and the Czech Republic have opposed.

The EU was making a last-ditch attempt to land a deal before European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen meets other world leaders at the COP30 summit on November 6.

“We have a lot at stake. We are risking our international leadership, which is fundamental in this extraordinarily complicated context,” Spanish Environment Minister Sara Aagesen told reporters on Tuesday.

OPPOSING VIEWS
The dilution of the climate target reflects a backlash against Europe’s ambitious climate agenda, from industries and some governments skeptical that it can afford the measures alongside defense and industrial priorities.

“We don’t want to destroy the economy. We don’t want to destroy the climate. We want to save both at the same time,” Polish Deputy Climate Minister Krzysztof Bolesta said.

Support from at least 15 of the 27 EU members is needed to approve the new target on Tuesday. EU diplomats said they expected a tight vote that could depend on one or two countries flipping positions.

Poland, Italy, the Czech Republic and others opposed this as too restrictive for domestic industries struggling with high energy costs, cheaper Chinese imports and US tariffs.

Others, including the Netherlands, Spain and Sweden, cited worsening extreme weather and the need to catch up with China in manufacturing green technologies as reasons for ambitious goals.

The EU’s independent climate science advisers have warned that buying foreign CO2 credits would divert much-needed investments away from European industries.

Brussels has also vowed to change other green measures to attempt to win buy-in. These include considering weakening its 2035 combustion engine ban, as requested by Germany and Italy.

Ministers will try first to agree the 2040 goal, and from there come up with an emissions pledge for 2035 – which is what the UN asked countries to submit ahead of COP30.— Reuters

UNITED NATIONS — The United States has drafted a United Nations resolution that approves a two-year mandate for a Gaza transitional governance body and an international stabilization force in the Palestinian enclave, according to the text seen by Reuters on Tuesday.

The draft – which is still being developed and could change – was shared with some countries this week, but has not yet been formally circulated to the 15-member Security Council for negotiations, diplomats said. It was not immediately clear when Washington planned to do that.

A State Department spokesperson said discussions with UN Security Council members and other partners on how to implement President Donald Trump’s Gaza plan were ongoing and declined to comment on “allegedly leaked documents.”

The two-page text would authorize a so-called Board of Peace transitional governance administration to establish a temporary International Stabilization Force (ISF) in Gaza that could “use all necessary measures” – code for force – to carry out its mandate.

The ISF would be authorized to protect civilians and humanitarian aid operations, work to secure border areas with Israel, Egypt and a “newly trained and vetted Palestinian police force, which the ISF will be responsible for training and supporting.

The ISF would stabilize security in Gaza, “including through the demilitarization of non-state armed groups and the permanent decommissioning of weapons, as necessary.”

SECOND PHASE OF TRUMP PLAN

Israel and Palestinian militants Hamas agreed a month ago to the first phase of Trump’s 20-point plan for Gaza, a ceasefire in their two year war and hostage release deal.

The next phase of the plan, which the draft UN resolution would endorse, is to establish the Board of Peace and the ISF.

The Trump plan also ends Hamas governance of Gaza and says the enclave would be demilitarized. Hamas has not said whether it will agree to disarm and demilitarize Gaza — something the militants have rejected before.

The ISF would deploy under a unified command agreed by the Board of Peace and in close consultation with Egypt and Israel after detailed status of mission and forces agreements have been reached, according to the resolution.

While the Trump administration has ruled out sending US soldiers into the Gaza Strip, it has been speaking to Indonesia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Qatar, Turkey and Azerbaijan to contribute to the multinational force.

It remains unclear whether Arab and other states will be ready to commit troops to the international force and Israel has repeatedly objected to the deployment of Turkish troops.

The draft UN resolution calls on the World Bank and other financial institutions to facilitate and provide financial resources to support the reconstruction and development of Gaza, “including through the establishment of a dedicated trust fund for this purpose and governed by donors.”

It was not immediately clear when the United States could put a draft resolution to a vote in the Security Council. A resolution needs at least nine votes in favor and no vetoes by the US, Britain, France, Russia or China to be adopted.

The draft resolution was first reported by Axios. — Reuters