Italy and the Czech Republic are pushing to soften EU climate regulations ahead of the October summit. Their proposal targets the upcoming ETS2 framework, which would expand carbon pricing to road transport and residential heating, and also calls for suspending methane import obligations. The move is driven by rising energy costs and industrial competitiveness concerns, with elections looming in several EU countries. If adopted, the changes could weaken the price signal for carbon in key sectors and slow methane reduction efforts. However, the proposal faces pushback from other member states who see the ETS as essential for meeting climate targets. The debate highlights the tension between short term energy affordability and long term decarbonization goals.
