BRUSSELS — The European Union’s most powerful countries are trying to thwart Denmark’s efforts to fast-track an agreement on the bloc’s next climate milestone.
As the nation steering legislative talks among EU governments until the end of the year, Denmark is in charge of delivering a deal on the bloc’s emissions-cutting target for 2040.
From the start, Copenhagen’s plan was to hammer out a deal before the end of September. The target was meant to showcase the bloc’s green credentials — first at this month’s United Nations General Assembly and then in November at the COP30 climate summit — and pressure big polluters such as China to step up their own efforts.
Denmark’s approach also had the support of the European Commission, which proposed the 2040 target in July. But when discussions among countries kicked off on Monday, their strategy started to unravel almost immediately.
