After more than 10 days of intense negotiations, the COP25 in Madrid has come to an end with a very disappointing outcome and another missed opportunity. Once again, world leaders failed to live up to the expectations of citizens and young generations who called for awareness of the need for concrete and immediate action to reduce global warming. Unfortunately, no agreement has been reached on the most sensitive and crucial issues, such as the so called rulebook for the Paris Agreement, the guidance on Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, transparency of reporting obligations, the leftover credits from the Kyoto system and the financing of the Adaptation Fund to help the least developed countries in the transition.
We regret that no agreement was found but we are determined to continue our fight for fair and bold solutions to climate change. The EU played an assertive and leading role as a constitutive and progressive negotiator and will strengthen its climate efforts further with the European Green Deal.
The Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament actively participated at the COP25 in Madrid with a high-level delegation composed OF Jytte Guteland, Mohamed CHAHIM, Evin Incir and Nicolás González Casares.
The S&D Coordinator for the Environment Committee, Jytte Guteland, said:
It is deeply regrettable that the Parties could not manage to come to an agreement, despite the best efforts from the EU. It is a setback but the fight is far from over. Now we need to roll up our sleeves even further and keep pushing so that an agreement can be found in Glasgow in 2020.
The EU has played a constructive role throughout these negotiations and pushed for stronger commitments from the Parties to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The European Green Deal is a clear testament of the EU's intention to act swiftly and resolutely to do our part in the global efforts to limit climate change.
The S&D rapporteur on the COP25 resolution and Environment Committee member, Mohammed Chahim, commented:
“It is very disappointing that no agreement has been reached after long and difficult negotiations. A pledge like the Paris Agreement is empty without a good and steady rulebook. The bad outcome of this technical COP25 is far from what we had hoped for. We have to get back to work soon and turn this around while we still can.”
