Climate and social justice belong together

During the Future of Europe debate with the Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Löfven in the European Parliament this afternoon, Ska Keller, President of the Greens/EFA group called upon the Prime Minister to defend climate and social justice in the European Union:

“Climate and social justice belong together. It is the poorest people who are hit hardest by the climate crisis, both worldwide as well as in the EU. They are more effected by extreme weather events, rising sea levels and have also less means to mitigate the impact. We need to put proposals on the table that give answers both to environmental and social urgencies: Public transport for example needs to be affordable. Trains need to become a real alternative to planes or cars.

"If we want to get serious about climate change, we need legally binding and courageous measures: Measures such as the Swedish proposal by Isabella Lövin, the Minister for Environment and Climate, that has been adopted in Council that cancelled about 3 billion carbon emission allowances - about 50 times Sweden’s yearly emissions -  and greatly contributed to reform the ETS and finally bring carbon emissions prices to a more sustainable level." 

Jakop Dalunde, Greens/EFA MEP added:

“I'm pleased to see that Mr Löfven took this chance to address climate change and urge the EU to act swiftly. Climate change will be the defining issue for the future of Europe in the decades to come. Europe needs to act now and make sure that transition to a green economy goes hand in hand with social justice.”