European Union sets goal to cut greenhouse gas emissions

On Thursday, European Union leaders announced that they've reached an agreement to cut greenhouse gas emissions by at least 40 percent below 1990 levels by 2030.

The deal wasn't reached easily, the BBC says, and compromises were reportedly made between countries that rely heavily on coal and those that wanted deep emissions cuts. Herman Van Rompuy, the president of the European Council, said that some poorer countries would get funding to reach the targets.

The news wasn't met with full-throated cheers by environmental groups, who believe more could be done. The amount fell "far too short of what the EU needs to do to pull its weight in the fight against climate change," said Oxfam's Natalia Alonso.

The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up