The member states of the European Union are increasingly turning away from the forced green agenda. The European Commission, however, remains indifferent

Despite growing disinterest both within and outside of Europe in imposing new green goals, the European Commission is preparing to unveil – on 2 July – a new climate milestone aimed at cutting emissions by 90 percent by 2040. However, the enthusiasm that once propelled European institutions into the so-called “green transition” has palpably faded, and it’s been replaced by skepticism, distrust, and the defense of national interest – perhaps not by accident.

Currently, the EU has legally binding targets of a 55-percent emissions reduction by 2030 and complete neutrality (100%) by 2050. However, the goal of achieving a 90% intermediate target for 2040 is now causing an internal rift among member states.

Only six countries (Denmark, Spain, Finland, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, and Slovenia) fully support the proposal, representing less than a fifth of the EU population. Another nine would accept it only if significant “flexibilities” are introduced, such as international carbon credits.

The rest of the bloc—including major players like Italy, Poland, the Czech Republic, and even France and Germany in more nuanced terms — are reluctant. Some demand conditions, others propose more modest targets (like 80% or 85%, still exorbitant), and many remain silent.

Enough of the Climate Craze

This fragmentation makes it clear there is no longer any real consensus on continuing to sacrifice Europe’s productive base for an increasingly ideological and detached green project – according to the European Conservative.

Faced with a lack of support, the European Commission and Climate Commissioner Wopke Hoekstra have launched a desperate hunt for loopholes. Among the most controversial proposals are international carbon credits. Under this system, a member state could fund emissions-reduction projects in third countries — such as wind farms in Africa or Asia — and count those reductions as its own. The measure, promoted by Sweden and Germany, has even drawn criticism from the EU’s scientific advisers, who warn that it undermines the integrity of the target and diverts funds that should be used for the internal transition.

Other proposals include allowing countries to reach the goal a year later, softening the emissions reduction curve between 2030 and 2040, or relying on “carbon removals” via forests or still-immature technologies.

All of these options amount to a tacit admission that the target is unfeasible without resorting to accounting tricks.

The reality is that the „climate trend” is retreating worldwide.

The United States has relaxed its commitments under pressure from competition with China, which continues to rely on coal and emissions-intensive industries. India and other emerging powers prioritize economic development. Even within the EU, the war in Ukraine, the energy crisis, deindustrialization, and inflation have pushed the green agenda into the background.

European climate policy, once promoted as a global model, is becoming a burden that erodes the continent’s competitiveness and weakens internal cohesion. While citizens face skyrocketing energy bills, factory closures, and an incipient industrial recession, Brussels insists on staying the course.