(Bloomberg) -- European Union lawmakers showed their divisions over how to enact the bloc’s ambitious climate strategy at the first debate over the draft measure.

The lead lawmaker on climate regulation in the European Parliament wants to make the target even tougher. At stake is how member states will reach climate neutrality by 2050.

The proposal from Jytte Guteland is at odds with some parliamentarians who are concerned steeper emissions cuts will put too much strain on the economy and will hinder negotiations with national governments in the EU Council.

The climate objective of the Green Deal is at the heart of European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s political agenda. The commission estimates that reaching the current 2030 climate targets needs additional investment of 470 billion euros ($517 billion) a-year.

Guteland, a Swedish member of the Socialist group in the Parliament, recommended Thursday that the committee pushes for a target to reduce greenhouse gases 65% by 2030, more than the 50-55% range currently under consideration.

The proposal divided lawmakers, with a senior member of the Christian Democrats, the biggest political group in the Parliament, arguing against a goal higher than what the commission is considering. The existing objective is a cut of 40% from 1990 levels.

“We support a lot of elements of Jytte’s report but we cannot hide the disagreement on the 2030 target,” said Peter Liese, environmental policy spokesman for the European People’s Party. “65% is too much and it will never get any consensus also in the Council. Even going to 50% or 55% is ambitious.”

Separately, Zdzislaw Krasnodebski, the lead lawmaker in the industry committee, made a more cautious recommendation. He wants the ECn to review the 2030 target by the end of this year, taking into account the economic impact of the coronavirus crisis.

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