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The European Union has taken a further step into developing its climate strategy by approving an agreement that calls for a 90% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2040 compared to 1990 levels. The decision, result of lengthy negotiations and compromises among the twenty-seven member states, represents a crucial step in the construction of the European Green Deal, the strategic plan that aims to make the continent climate neutral by 2050. The achievement of this agreement, which came after nights of negotiations, highlights the complexity of political dialogue between governments that share common goals but start from profoundly different economic, energy and industrial conditions. The European Commission’s initial proposal called for a 90% cut in emissions with a maximum use of 3% of international carbon credits. The final version, however, raised this threshold to 5%, a sign of a compromise that seeks to reconcile environmental urgency with the production needs of member states.
ITALIAN AND GERMAN DEMANDS: THE AUTOMOTIVE ISSUE
Italy and Germany, nations with strong ties to the automotive industry and related manufacturing chains, played a central role in the negotiations. Both countries insisted that the text recognize the strategic value of alternative fuels and low-emission technologies as complementary tools to electrification. The goal of Rome and Berlin was not to weaken the Union’s ecological trajectory, but to ensure its economic and social viability. The Italian government, through Minister of the Environment and Energy Security Gilberto Pichetto Fratin, reiterated the need for a “pragmatic” approach to the green transition, calling for the promotion of biofuels, synthetic fuels, and other renewable solutions in the transportation sector. Germany’s position is similar, focusing on protecting its automotive sector and maintaining a high-employment industrial supply chain. Both delegations emphasized that decarbonization cannot exist without flexible technological tools capable of adapting to different national realities.
THE EUROPEAN COMPROMISE: BETWEEN AMBITION AND ECONOMIC SUSTAINABILITY
The final agreement approved by European Environment Ministers, therefore, reflects the desire to reconcile climate ambition and economic sustainability. The document’s explicit inclusion of the role of zero-carbon and low-carbon fuels, as well as the focus on support measures for heavy-duty vehicle manufacturers, mark a concrete response to the requests made by major industrial countries. These elements introduce a principle of graduality to the transition, mitigating the risk of excessive impact on key sectors of the European economy. Recognition of these demands, however, does not imply a weakening of the Green Deal. Rather, it demonstrates the search for a political balance capable of ensuring the overall stability of the European project. The social and productive dimension of the ecological transition has now become an integral part of the debate on the Union’s climate policies, in the knowledge that sustainability is not only environmental, but also economic and employment related.
EUROPE AND GLOBAL CLIMATE LEADERSHIP
With this agreement, the European Union reaffirms its international leadership in the fight against climate change. Despite internal tensions and resistance from some Member States, Brussels presents itself at the upcoming Conference of the Parties (COP30) as the bloc with the highest level of global ambition in terms of greenhouse gas reduction. In a global context marked by US disengagement and China’s less decisive choices, Europe thus consolidates its role as a political and moral leader in the ecological transition. The challenge, however, remains to transform regulatory ambitions into concrete results, ensuring that the measures adopted do not compromise industrial competitiveness and social cohesion. For countries like Italy and Germany, the success of European climate policy will depend on the ability to innovate in the automotive sector and integrate new energy technologies into production processes.
A BALANCE UNDER CONSTRUCTION
The compromise reached in Brussels marks a step towards balancing ecological ideals and economic realism. The Italian and German demands, while considered concessions by some observers, represent an attempt to ensure a fair and sustainable transition for the economies most exposed to change. By confirming the target of 90% emissions reduction by 2040, the European Union demonstrates its commitment to maintaining high environmental ambition without losing sight of the need for a shared and pragmatic path. The balance between technological innovation, industrial protection and climate responsibility, therefore, remains the true test of the European Green Deal: a project that, to be lasting, must combine the strength of vision with concrete solutions.