EU must take the lead with more ambitious climate targets
Climate Law
To save the climate, 2020 is crucial. The European Union must now take on a leadership role to achieve an international commitment to ambitious climate targets in time for the Glasgow COP in November 2020. The European Climate Law presented by the European Commission today (Wednesday, 4th March) falls short of the promises enshrined in the Green Deal and does not live up to the EU's claim to take this leading role in climate protection. The European Commission does not intend to commit itself until September 2020, following an impact assessment, while the Greens/EFA are calling for an immediate and clear commitment to a 65% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030.
Ska Keller, Co-President of the Greens/EFA group in the European Parliament, comments:
"The climate law, presented today by the European Commission, is disappointing. Above all, it is disappointing that the European Commission has not presented a target for the year 2030 and is failing to play its role as a leader in the international climate negotiations. If the European Commission waits until September to present climate targets for 2030, we will not be able to pull others along and it will be far too late for Glasgow.”
Philippe Lamberts, Co-President of the Greens/EFA group in the European Parliament, comments:
“We immediately need a clear commitment to a 65% reduction in greenhouse gases by 2030, and any further delay would reduce the chances of an international climate breakthrough at the Glasgow COP. The European Union cannot continue putting climate protection on the back burner and must take the lead in the global climate movement. Rhetoric is not enough. If the European Commission presents ambitious climate targets, we will gladly support them, but this climate law does not deserve its name.”
Glasgow COP, November 2020
At the climate conference in Glasgow, the signatory states of the Paris Agreement must raise their climate targets in order to limit global warming to well below 2 degrees. Despite the August 2019 deadline, the German government has still not presented its national climate plan. The Paris Agreement will come into effect in 2021, at which point it will be reviewed to see whether the climate protection measures are sufficiently effective.
European Parliament Resolution of 15 January 2020 on the European Green Deal
In its resolution on the Green Deal, the European Parliament is calling for a 55% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.
https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/TA-9-2020-0005_EN.html
