EU Commission admits COP30 shortcomings: ‘More would have been better’

Brussels – A half-failure that nobody denies. Five days after the close of COP 30 held in Belém, the Strasbourg Parliament meets to comment on the outcome. “It is abundantly clear that more would have been better,” admitted the EU climate commissioner, Wopke Hoekstra, who flew to Brazil to negotiate an agreement on global commitments on behalf of the EU. In the final document, the most important result was an increase in funding for countries most affected by global warming.

The most significant element missing, however, is a roadmap for eliminating fossil fuels. “I have to admit that there has been quite a lot of resistance regarding fossil fuels,” Hoekstra added, overlooking, however, the fact that even European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen had stopped short of an explicit condemnation on the issue.

Just arrived in Belém with my team for the biggest climate conference of the year — @Cop30noBrasil.

I’ll represent the EU, together with @L_Aagaard, Ministers, and Members of the European Parliament. It’s going to be an intense week of negotiations.#StayTuned #COP30 pic.twitter.com/GgyxmcXLeo

– Wopke Hoekstra (@WBHoekstra) November 17, 2025

Telephone Game

“We are not fighting fossil fuels, so much as emissions from fossil fuels”, von der Leyen had said at the G20 held in South Africa on the same days as the COP. A game of political camouflage aimed at not taking a clear position.

This inconsistency was brought to light by Bas Eickhout, co-chairman of the Green group, during the debate in the hemicycle: “Von der Leyen did not condemn the use of fossil fuels while she, as commissioner, was negotiating for their elimination. It seems to me that the right hand does not know what the left hand is doing.” S&D MEP Mohammed Chahim reiterates the point: “Talking about transition without talking about fossil fuels is like talking about lung cancer without talking about cigarettes.”

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“The Giorgia Majority” 

The lack of a clear position from the 27 member states was expected. The green momentum that defined von der Leyen’s first mandate is losing appeal among European capitals. Now, the European Parliament itself is reducing its commitment to the Green Deal. Most of the time, this is possible thanks to the so-called ‘Giorgia Majority,‘ comprising the Populars, Conservatives, and Patriots. Just yesterday, yet another agreement between the EPP and the far right sought to sink the anti‑deforestation law, postponing its entry into force by another year and further easing the burden on companies. A new course, visible yet still under the radar, which certainly did not help negotiators in Belém. 

Europe’s unpreparedness

Another aspect denounced by MEPs is that of unpreparedness. Renew MEP, Emma Wiesner, points out that “if the European Council had not only focused on the 2040 targets, we would have been better prepared for COP30.” Eickhout doubles down: “Europe was surprised by the tripling of adaptation funds. I am already telling you, Commissioner, that for the next COP, money will still be an issue.” Eickhout points out that the final text is unclear about the basis for the increase in adaptation funds, so “if leaders are still unprepared on how to deal with this topic at the next COP, we will have new problems for Europe.” 

The Union in Belém demonstrated that, without another power capable of driving the debate, it was unable to impose its own priorities. “The mandate of the meeting was too ambitious, and the absence of the United States was important. The BRICS were able to do what they wanted,” summarises Alexandr Vondra, vice-president of the European Conservatives Group, critically.

Greener and more competitive

In his concluding speech, Hoekstra tried to deflect the protesters by taking issue with the meeting’s format: “This format has run its course, it’s too complex,” he says, while acknowledging, “modifying this structure won’t be easy.” Following a barrage of criticism, the commissioner falls back on the all‑purpose slogan: “We want to combine climate action with competitiveness and independence.” Chances are high we’ll see a repeat of this scene at COP31 next year in Antalya, Turkey.