About the open letter

The letter responds to growing political signals that international credits could be introduced into the EU’s 2040 climate framework. This would mark a major departure from the current EU Climate Law, which mandates that targets be met primarily through domestic action.

Key Findings

• Undermines EU climate credibility The inclusion of international credits would weaken the ambition of the EU’s domestic climate targets, risking the erosion of its hard-won leadership on climate action.

• Environmental and human rights risks Article 6 credits have been linked to weak safeguards and real-world abuses. Early deals under this framework show troubling signs of poor quality and unverifiable emissions savings. 

• Fails to deliver real emission reductions Offsets only shift emissions elsewhere and delay structural decarbonisation at home. A systemic review found that just 16% of credits reflected actual emissions cuts. 

• Not a form of climate finance Buying credits does not constitute a climate finance contribution. It is a financial transaction — not a substitute for real EU action. 

• Increases long-term costs and uncertainty Relying on credits would mean recurrent costs and financial outflows, locking in polluting investments and stranding future assets. 

Related publications

More on the 2040 climate target