European Climate Law: Not enough to meet Paris climate targets
Climate
MEPs will vote on the first ever European Climate Law. The main tenet of the European Climate Law is the target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 55% net by 2030. The net calculation, however, includes carbon sinks such as forests and wetlands. If these natural CO2 reservoirs are deducted, the climate target shrinks to only 52.8%. The climate target is not compatible with the Paris Climate Agreement, which is why the Greens/EFA will vote against it. The announcement of the results of the vote is expected at 13:00.
Micha Bloss MEP, Greens/EFA shadow rapporteur on the European Climate Law in the Environment Committee, comments:
"The benchmark of the EU’s climate policy must be the Paris Climate Agreement, but the European Climate Law does not meet the Paris goals. If we do not take countermeasures now, we risk global warming of between two and three degrees. Voting against the European Climate Law is painful, but we cannot support half measures that risk the well-being of future generations. This law does not heed the warnings of scientists who predict heat waves, droughts, floods, forest fires, water shortages and the loss of species.
"The climate doesn't have the time for us to settle on targets that will not keep global temperature rises under 1.5 degrees. The German Constitutional Court and courts in France, Belgium and the Netherlands have given clear instructions to politicians to put their policies in line with the 1.5 degree path."
Bas Eickhout MEP, Greens/EFA Vice Chair of the Environment Committee in the European Parliament, comments:
"We are at the beginning of the last decade we have to act in which we can still save the climate. The Commission's upcoming climate package offers the chance to make a course correction before the COP in Glasgow. In the negotiations, we will advocate for a massive roll-out of energy efficiency and renewable energy, a rapid phase-out of internal combustion engines and a fair and ambitious emissions trading system that will deliver the end of coal-fired power by 2030 at the latest.
"With a socially just transition for energy and transport, we can manage to make the EU a climate pioneer. But for that we need to see greater ambition and efforts from the Commission and the Member States than we saw with the Climate Law. If we get this right, we can halt catastrophic climate collapse and make the Green Deal the tool to protect the climate and create the jobs of the future."
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The European Parliament had called for a 60% reduction in emissions by 2030, while climate researchers and the Greens/EFA Group are calling for 65% to limit global warming to a maximum of 1.5 degrees Celsius. The Greens/EFA Group were successful in the negotiations with their demand for an independent scientific climate council. The European Commission also agreed to publish in 2024 the maximum level of GHG emissions that the EU should be allowed to emit for 2030-2050 ('EU climate budget'). The European Climate Law is a central part of the Green Deal and the basis for further climate legislation such as the Fit-for-2030 legislative package, including legislative proposals on energy efficiency, emissions trading and energy taxation, which the European Commission is expected to present on 14 July.
