Today the European Parliament called for urgent and effective measures to curb global warming because "climate change represents an urgent and potentially irreversible threat to human societies, biodiversity and the planet, and therefore, must be addressed at international level."
The Parliament adopted a resolution calling on the EU negotiators attending the upcoming UN climate summit in Lima* to do their utmost to ensure that significant progress is made towards achieving a new global climate agreement next year and avoid a 2o rise in global temperature.
S&D negotiator, MEP Jo Leinen, said:
"The challenge for Lima is clear: all states need to agree on the basis for an international binding climate treaty. Until now the United States and China have been blocking the way, but it seems that now, they take climate change more seriously. As the biggest world polluters, their contribution will be crucial.
"However, the EU must remain on the front line and broker the best possible deal. So Lima and Paris next year will test EU diplomacy. A sort of 'Paris alliance' for a legally binding climate deal should be established in order to guarantee success.
"The EU should also find a mechanism to ensure that sufficient funding is granted for climate protection. 10 billion US dollars has been allocated so far but we must find a way to reach 100 billion."
S&D vice-president Kathleen Van Brempt said:
"The 20th Conference of the Parties (COP20) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), to be held in Lima, Peru, is key to the success of the Paris summit next year.
"Scientific evidence shows that we must engage in ‘aggressive’ mitigation by 2050 to avoid exceeding a 2°C rise in global temperatures. Now that some climate-sceptics such as the US and China seem to have understood the extent of the threat, we should use this window of opportunity. We cannot afford to let future generations down."
S&D spokesperson on climate, MEP Matthias Groote, said:
"The international community must act now, in Lima, in order have an internationally binding agreement.
"Companies, industry and most importantly European citizens bear the burden of rising energy prices. Therefore, we need to reduce our dependence on energy imports. This can only happen by making better and more efficient use of our own, sustainable resources. We need 3 binding targets: the reduction of CO2; an increase in energy efficiency and the expansion of renewable energy.
"This will not only encourage new technologies and innovation, but it will help create jobs and transform our economies into sustainable economies. It will also contribute to Europe maintaining its position as a role model in leading global change."
*S&D MEPs Kathleen Van Brempt, Jo Leinen and Seb Dance will be attending the UN Lima Climate Summit.
Interview with S&D MEPs Jo Leinen, Kathleen Van Brempt and Matthias Groote.
