EU countries have approved a 2040 climate change target to cut emissions by 90%, but with flexibilities to weaken this aim.
In a public vote, environment ministers approved the 90% target, which would let countries buy foreign carbon credits to cover up to 5% of the 90% emissions-cutting goal, said Danish climate minister Lars Aagaard, who chaired the talks.
That would effectively weaken to 85% the emissions cuts required from European industries.
The EU also agreed to consider the option, in future, to use international carbon credits to meet a further 5% of the 2040 emissions reductions, Mr Aagaard said - potentially shaving another5% off their domestic target.
EU countries have been haggling for months over two separate targets for slashing greenhouse-gas emissions: one for 2035 that they must bring to the UN climate talks, and the other for 2040.
French Environment Minister Monique Barbut had warned that turning up empty-handed to the UN summit would spell "disaster" for the EU.
Behind only China, the United States and India in terms of emissions, the EU has been the most committed of the major polluters to climate action and has already cut emissions by 37% compared to 1990 levels.
But after blazing a trail, the EU's political landscape has shifted right, and climate concerns have taken a backseat to defence and competitiveness - with concerns in some capitals that greening Europe's economy is harming growth.
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The EU insists it remains committed to its role as global climate leader, having mobilised €31.7 billion in public climate finance in 2024, making it the world's largest donor.
