Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, announced today that the European Union will set new emission reduction targets for 2035 and 2040 ahead of the United Nations Climate Change Conference “COP 30” scheduled for November in the Brazilian city of Belém.

This comes after the EU bloc missed the UN’s September deadline to adopt these targets, while major economies including China met the deadline.

Von der Leyen said in a video message to a European event in Brussels that the EU will establish “Nationally Determined Contributions” (NDCs) for 2035 and 2040, the term used by the UN to refer to countries’ climate commitments.

She acknowledged divisions among EU countries regarding these targets, emphasizing the need for greater “flexibility and pragmatism” in achieving them, but stressed the importance of staying on course to provide stability for workers, clarity for companies, and certainty for investors.

She added that Europe remains committed to its climate goals, noting that Brussels is working to reduce bureaucratic procedures to support companies in the green transition and is investing in power grids to ensure consumers benefit from cheaper renewable energy.

This comes as some global economies have slowed, while the administration of US President Donald Trump adopted a stance opposing climate efforts, and some EU countries prioritized defense spending over accelerating the green agenda.

The COP 30 summit is a key test of the readiness of major economies to continue their climate commitments. However, reaching consensus within the EU is not yet confirmed, as countries like France, Germany, and Poland have called for discussing the targets at the European summit scheduled for late October, leaving member states only a few weeks to officially adopt them.