Ursula von der Leyen, who is president of the European Commission, the EU s executive arm, said the target puts us on a clear path towards climate neutrality in 2050.
The EU s adoption of the 55% target comes ahead of a Climate Ambition Summit this weekend which will be co-hosted by the United Nations, the U.K. and France, in partnership with Italy and Chile.
The EU s revised 2030 goal now requires a green light from the European Parliament, a directly elected law-making body that has called for a 60% emissions cut by the end of this decade.
Work to be done?
Among those reacting to the news was Jytte Guteland, an MEP and the European Parliament s rapporteur on the European Climate Law.