In a strong rebuke to French President Emmanuel Macron’s recent call for a delay in the European Union’s 2040 climate targets, European Commission Executive Vice President Teresa Ribera has stated that such a move would be a “mistake.” Speaking on Euronews’ Europe Today morning show, Ribera firmly rejected the notion of postponing the European Commission’s upcoming proposal on climate targets, signaling her commitment to the EU’s long-term environmental agenda.
Ribera, who oversees the EU’s green transition portfolio, is expected to present the 2040 climate goals following next Wednesday’s meeting of the college of commissioners. Her comments come in direct response to Macron’s unexpected intervention during the EU Council summit in Brussels on Thursday, where the French President urged caution in setting the new climate benchmarks.
Macron told reporters after the summit that the EU should not rush into finalizing its 2040 targets, suggesting instead that the bloc should “take more time to come to an agreement” to ensure that climate ambition remains compatible with economic competitiveness. “We want to make this climate ambition compatible with European competitiveness,” Macron asserted.
I believe in the possibility of a Europe that reconciles an ambitious climate agenda with respect for the commitments of the Paris Agreement and that preserves its competitiveness. All that requires is technological neutrality, the ability to invest and consistency in trade policy.
Emmanuel Macron, French President
The French leader also emphasized that setting the 2040 targets should be a comprehensive and democratic process:
“The 2040 targets can’t be a technical debate that takes just a few weeks. It has to be a democratic debate at 27 (member states). And I say this because I love Europe. And I say it because, in two years’ time, I’ll no longer be in charge of my country. But I would be unwise to leave my successor a situation that had been debated outside the framework of the 27.”
Emmanuel Macron, French President
However, Ribera responded decisively when asked by Europe Today presenter Méabh McMahon whether she was prepared to heed Macron’s request and delay the proposal.
“I think it could be a mistake,” she said. Ribera underlined the importance of the 2040 target in the broader context of Europe’s climate strategy, especially in light of the 10th anniversary of the Paris Agreement.
This year is the 10th anniversary of the Paris agreement, and we want to identify how we can keep on going in something we that we think is quite essential for the economic and social welfare of Europeans and worldwide.
Teresa Ribera, European Commission Executive Vice President
Highlighting the EU’s broader climate roadmap, Ribera emphasized the need for coherence between long-term goals and intermediate steps.
We have already identified that we want to be a fully decarbonised economy by 2050, we have targets for 2030, we need some clear orientation around 2040, and the reduction of 90% is a clear goal.
Teresa Ribera, European Commission Executive Vice President
She acknowledged that while discussions may continue on how to balance various components and integrate flexibility, the core target remains unchanged. “Then how we can combine the different pieces, the eventual flexibilities is the thing to be discussed, but we are working hard and we will table our proposal in the coming days.”
The European Union has committed to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050. This goal builds on its existing target to cut carbon emissions by 55% compared to 1990 levels by 2030. The yet-to-be-finalized 2040 milestone is seen as the crucial bridge between these two commitments—a bridge that Ribera insists must not be postponed any further.
While the debate between economic competitiveness and environmental ambition continues at the highest levels of EU leadership, Ribera’s stance makes it clear: the European Commission remains determined to stay the course on climate action, with or without consensus from all member states at the outset.
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