European Union seeks climate mitigation package at COP31

The European Union plans to use the upcoming COP31 climate summit in Turkey to advocate for a new mitigation package. According to an internal document prepared by the Irish Presidency of the EU, the initiative aims to transform existing climate commitments into concrete actions and focus on emission reductions.

A key proposal involves extending the mitigation work programme, which is set to expire this year, until 2040. The EU also intends to push for global responses to recent UN findings indicating that the 1.5°C warming limit set by the 2015 Paris Agreement is unlikely to be met.

Internally, the EU is facing negotiations regarding the revision of the Emissions Trading System (ETS). Poland and nine other nations, including Italy, are seeking a delay in the implementation of ETS2, which would extend emission costs to road transport and building heating starting in 2028. However, countries led by Sweden and Denmark, along with EU Climate Commissioner Wopke Hoekstra, have expressed opposition to reopening these timelines, citing the need for regulatory stability.