At last year’s COP27 negotiations in Egypt, the EU said it “stands ready” to submit an updated NDC, signalising that it might raise its GHG emission reduction target from 55 percent to 57 percent to reflect the effects of new laws. However, in a new common position for COP28 adopted by the EU Council, the bloc will not be updating its target (Spain was in support but eastern European countries pushed back), however the EU will be submitting a revised NDC. The bloc also agreed to support the tripling of global renewable energy capacity and the doubling of energy efficiency improvements by 2030. It however reportedly stood behind a relatively watered down statement that it wanted a “predominantly fossil-free” global energy sector “well before 2050” and that it would strive to reach a “fully or predominantly decarbonised power system in the 2030s”.
