Mercredi 10 octobre 2018

Communiqué de presse du groupe S&D

Today, Socialists and Democrats led a cross-party majority in the environment committee in favour of a more ambitious goal for the EU in greenhouse gas emissions reductions. The adopted resolution on the UN climate summit in December, co-drafted by S&D MEP Jo Leinen, calls for an increase of the EU’s 2030 climate target from current 40% to 55% and for a net zero carbon economy in the Union by 2050. The resolution will be put to the vote for the entire European Parliament during the upcoming plenary session in Strasbourg.

S&D MEP and Parliament’s negotiator on the resolution for the 2018 climate summit, Jo Leinen said:

« Against the resistance of EPP and ECR, the environment committee today made a courageous plea to the European Council and Commission to increase the EU’s 2030 climate target. The goal of 40% emission cuts is outdated. Much more is already possible through the energy and climate laws the EU adopted this year. A reduction of 55% will bring us on track with the Paris Agreement and in line with the objective to limit global warming to well below 2 degrees Celsius.

« The vote is the right response to the scientific report, published on Monday. The Special Report by Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has shown again the risks of global warming and the urgency for climate action. The EU must take responsibility and take a united and ambitious stance at COP24 in Katowice.

« The conservatives ignore the need for more climate action. They praise the Paris Agreement, but they are not ready to reflect the global climate contract in concrete reduction targets.”

S&D spokesperson on environment, Miriam Dalli MEP, added:

« For years we have been seeing the warning signs of global warming. Again this week the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reiterated that limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius would require rapid, far-reaching and unprecedented changes in all aspects of society. As S&Ds, we have been leading this fight in the European Parliament. In the vote to reduce CO2 emissions from cars and vans, we have pushed for a higher ambition that would support the EU’s commitments in line with the Paris Agreement.

“The only way to address climate change is for every member state, every sector, and each one of us to play their part. »