UN climate talks

Commenting on the outcome of the UN climate change summit in Warsaw (COP19, Green climate change spokesperson Bas Eickhout (MEP, NL) stated:

“The fraught negotiations in Warsaw failed to clearly set out the path for an international climate deal in 2015. Instead of taking steps forward, countries have dug themselves further into their trenches. The willingness to make progress was severely damaged by industrialised countries like Japan and Australia, which used the talks to officially scale back their climate commitments, as well the stonewalling of the demands of poor countries for clarity on how climate finance will be stepped-up.

“EU credibility and ability to form alliances in the process was undermined by the inertia in its climate policies, notably the failure to increase its completely inadequate 20% greenhouse gas reduction target for 2020. The EU has committed to increase to a 30% reduction target pending commensurate action by others but independent analysis has shown that many other countries are taking more ambitious climate action. The COP decision calls for the EU to reconsider its position. The EU needs to finally step up its target in time for the UNFCCC ministerial meeting in June in Bonn, which would help give impetus to the talks ahead of the ‘Ban Ki-moon climate summit’ in September.

“If the EU wants to lead by example, it should commit to completely phasing-out emissions from fossil fuels by 2050. This would improve energy security, ensure cleaner air, create jobs and stimulate the economy. It would also enable set the tone for the UN climate talks to be a race to the top at the COP21 in Paris, instead of the backsliding exercise that we saw in Warsaw.”