Climate change: EU to cut CO2 emissions by 55% by 2030

The EU has adopted ambitious new targets to curb climate change, with a pledge to make them legally binding.

Under a new law agreed between member states and the EU Parliament, the bloc will cut carbon emissions by at least 55% by 2030, compared to 1990 levels.

The EU parliament had pushed for a higher target of a 60% reduction.

"Our political commitment to becoming the first climate neutral continent by 2050 is now also a legal one," said EU Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen.

"The Climate Law sets the EU on a green path for a generation."

The deal comes ahead of a virtual summit of world leaders later this week, where the US is expected to announce its own climate targets for 2030.