BRUSSELS — Lawmakers in the European Parliament on Thursday adopted a proposal to set a binding EU target for cutting planet-warming emissions by 90 percent by 2040.
The text is largely a copy-paste of the position endorsed by EU governments on Nov. 5. It proposes to reduce domestic emissions by 85 percent compared to 1990 level and to allow the EU to outsource 5 percentage points of its climate effort abroad by purchasing international carbon offsets.
A majority of members of the European Parliament agreed to back the controversial goal, with 379 casting a vote in favor, 248 against and 10 abstained.
The center-left Socialists and Democrats, the liberal Renew Europe, the Greens and the far-left groups as well as part of the center-right European People’s Party supported the adoption of the 2040 climate target. The European Conservatives and Reformists and the far-right Patriots for Europe and Europe of Sovereign Nations groups were against.
