EU climate policy

The EU position for the UN climate negotiations will be discussed by finance and environment ministers at their respective council meetings this week (today and tomorrow, 20 and 21 October). Ahead of these crucial meetings, the European Parliament environment committee has adopted a strong resolution on the UN climate negotiations and the EU position. Commenting on the resolution, Finnish Green MEP Satu Hassi and Dutch Green MEP Bas Eickhout said:

"The resolution adopted last night by an overwhelming majority (1) in the EP environment committee must serve as the benchmark for the EU position at the UN climate negotiations. If EU governments are serious about their goal of limiting global warming to below 2?C, they must adopt policies that are consistent with this.

"This means pushing for an international climate deal that provides for binding emissions reductions for industrialised countries in the high end of range recommended by the IPCC (the scientific consensus), i.e. 25-40% by 2020 from 1990 levels to give a 50:50 chance of limiting warming to less than 2?C. MEPs have also clearly stated that EU must consider going beyond the 30% reduction target. The EU will have to reduce its emissions by at least 40% if it is to do its fair share as part of an international climate agreement that aims to limit warming to 2 degrees - and even then, such a target would only give us a 50/50 chance of avoiding dangerous climate change."

"MEPs also called for the EU to up its game on climate financing for developing countries. The resolution calls for the EU to provide at least €30bn per annum (by 2020) for mitigation and adaptation efforts in developing countries. It also specifies that this funding should be new, guaranteed and additional to existing overseas development aid, and not dependent on annual budgetary procedures in EU member states.

"Early drafts of the conclusions due to be adopted by finance and environment ministers reflect the now familiar hypocrisy of EU climate diplomacy. Despite continual restatement of the EU's goal of limiting global warming to 2?C, EU governments continue propose insufficient action in the EU to limit emissions, and are in denial about the scale of assistance required for efforts in developing countries in order to reach that overarching goal.

"The time for prevarication and fudging has long passed. With the UN climate talks on a knife edge, it is time for the EU to reclaim its leadership position. This means adopting climate policies along the lines outlined by the MEPs in the environment committee." 

Notes to editors:

(1) European Parliament environment committee vote (19 October) on a resolution on the EU strategy for the Copenhagen Conference on Climate Change:  55 votes in favour; 1 vote against; 3 abstentions. The EP plenary vote is expected in November.