The European Parliament wants to be even more ambitious and set up to 55% emissions reduction by 2050.

The European Parliament wants to raise the European Union’s ambition to reduce CO2 emissions from the 40 percent currently committed for 2050 to 50 or 55 percent and, in addition, to promote that at the XXV Climate Summit, to be held in December in Chile, the rest of the countries join in raising this same ambition.

05/10/2019

Periodicodelaenergia.com

In a meeting with journalists from the Association of Environmental Information Journalists (APIA), Socialist MEP Nicolás González explained the proposal that the European Parliament is trying to achieve in order to increase the commitments of the international community to fight against climate change and pointed out that the European Parliament has warned of the difference between the real commitments signed in the national emission reduction plans and the global objectives of the Paris Climate Agreement.

Gonzalez also added that the European Parliament in its proposal underlines that the implementation of an adequate Just Transition Fund will be “fundamental” to achieve success in the fight against the climate emergency because, in his opinion, there could be a risk of creating “social discontent” if the repercussions of acting against climate change affect society at a work or economic level.

In any case, it has shown the will of the European Union as a whole, and of the large European parliamentary groups, to make Europe the real leader in the fight against climate change.

Now the dynamic of discussion is no longer to reach a 40 percent reduction in CO2 but to reach between 50 and 55 percent in 2050 and, to this end, the Parliament has already drawn up two drafts “quite ambitious” that bet on increasing renewables, reduce emissions, promote new technologies and implement with an adequate endowment of 100,000 million dollars per year of the Transition Fund.

“Europe will be at the forefront of the fight against climate change. We socialists and democrats want to move forward more and with a just transition that is defined in a European Green Deal”, said González, who in a relaxed atmosphere has joked about the position of the European Parliament which he has defined as “so advanced that it almost frightens”, since he admits that in this determination to limit global warming they are taking steps forward and we must be aware that “sometimes a callus is stepped on”.

MORE RENEWABLE

In addition to raising the reduction in CO2 emissions to 50 or 55 per cent – a figure that varies between the most advanced and most conservative positions within the Parliament that is yet to be decided – the MEP added that the proposal also involves raising the target for renewables by 2050, as the current 32.5 per cent was intended to reach the current commitment to reduce CO2 emissions by 40 per cent, so increasing the target will also increase the effort in renewables.

In any case, beyond the discussions about the small decimals of a high ambition, he insisted that in his opinion the important thing is that the agreements reached are fulfilled, because it would be useless to raise the commitment if the challenge is not achieved, something that would lead to a “frustration”.

“Europe is looking forward to committing itself to the COP-25 and, although it is possible that we will hit the ground running, we are confident in a signal of real commitment from China and other developing countries”, said the parliamentarian who, on social issues, added that Europe will promote a recognition of the will and social mobilisation observed in the last year and will try to ensure that the resolutions take into account the reality of the ‘climate displaced’, something that was not finally included in the Paris Climate Agreement.

According to the European Parliament draft provided by Gonzalez to Europa Press, they want to ask the Presidency of the Union and the European Commission to “as soon as possible” present to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change a long-term EU strategy to achieve zero net emissions in 2050 in the territory of the Member States.

To this end, he believes that the most “cost-effective” way to avoid dependence on carbon removal technologies that could pose significant risks to ecosystems, biodiversity and food security, is to increase the level of ambition by 2030 and increase the level of ambition of EU national contributions in all sectors and that other world economies should update their contributions to achieve a “global impact”.

Finally, MEPs underline that they are “concerned” about the “limited progress” on some issues and call on the Commission and Member States to advocate “high and robust” international standards to avoid accounting gaps or double counting of emission reductions.