Council: approbation of 2 sets of conclusions setting out the EU's main position ahead of COP31 and COP17

The Council has approved two sets of conclusions setting out the EU's main negotiating position ahead of the UN climate change (COP 31) and biodiversity (COP 17) summits, during the Environment Council, held in Luxembourg on 12 October 2026.

Thereby, the EU will call for “rapid, science-based action rooted in multilateralism to limit global warming and halt biodiversity loss”. The environment ministers called for the “accelerated implementation of the Paris Agreement and of the global biodiversity framework”.

Among the key priorities for COP 31, EU ministers underlined that :
• the “overshoot‑peak‑decline” pathway is the best remaining option to keep global warming below 1.5°C by the end of the century ;
• COP31 must mark a step-change in the delivery of the Paris Agreement. The EU calls for…