Concern about the capacity of Europe's forests, degraded by wildfires and droughts, to absorb carbon dioxide emissions was a key reason European Union governments agreed to water down their new 2040 emissions-cutting goal this week.
EU countries on Wednesday backed a target to cut their net greenhouse gas emissions 90% by 2040 from 1990 levels — a goal designed to keep them on track for the EU's legally-binding commitment to reach net zero emissions by 2050.
However, the accord also introduced flexibility for various sectors. One option was for future cuts to the 2040 target should Europe's forests, peat bogs and grasslands be unable to absorb and store millions of tons of carbon dioxide to compensate for pollution from industries.
During negot
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