EU nations spar over cars emissions, climate goals

European Union nations will seek a compromise on Tuesday over how ambitious to be on cutting vehicle emissions and climate goals for U.N. talks, with Germany warning that targets that are too tough risk harming industry and costing jobs.

In a clash between concerns over the environmental risk of emissions and industry competitiveness, EU environment ministers meeting in Luxembourg are divided over what 2030 carbon dioxide limits to impose on Europe’s powerful carmakers.

In the wake of a U.N. report calling for rapid and unprecedented change to contain global warming, many ministers back a 40 percent reduction in emissions, in line with climate targets backed by EU lawmakers last week.

“Everyone is calling for action after the report from climate experts,” French Environment Minister Francois de Rugy said.

But two EU sources said some EU nations appeared to be siding with a less ambitious reduction in emissions.

Germany, with its big auto sector, backs an EU executive proposal of a 30 percent cut for fleets of new cars and vans by 2030, compared to 2021 levels.

“After the IPCC report yesterday that is not easy, but it is a position we all agreed on,” Germany’s Svenja Schulze said.