In the light of the crucial UN Conference on Climate Change in Madrid (COP25) from 2 to 13 December, the S&D Group has been working hard to get the European Parliament to declare a climate emergency. This would have been a major boost for the EU and its member states to take the lead in the international climate negotiations and demonstrate that they are united in facing the current climate emergency. This is especially true after Donald Trump’s shameful decision to withdraw the US from the Paris Agreement.

The huge worldwide mobilisation of the recent months has shown a solid and deep awareness by the public deeply concerned with the climate emergency, and the need to put forward concrete actions to reverse global warming. We, Socialists and Democrats, have been very vocal and at the forefront of this battle and will not stop fighting against all those that, outside and inside the European Parliament, deny this emergency or prefer hiding their head in the sand for childish political games.

The S&D president, Iratxe Garcia Perez, commented:

“Fighting climate warming is no longer an option but an obligation. There is no time to waste, because our planet is at risk. Scientists are telling us that this is an emergency, because the changing climate is already having a negative impact, not only on biodiversity but it has already become a threat to humanity.

“We need to act now if we want to correct the trend and extreme weather events, desertification, rising sea and ocean levels and loss of biodiversity. We know that there are already millions of climate refugees and that it is the poor who are suffering the most in this climate emergency. We will see more people striving for water and food if we don't act.

“I hope that the world leaders meeting in the COP25 in Madrid next week will hear the call of the European Parliament today."

The S&D vice-president for the Green New Deal, Miriam Dalli, said:

“We are delighted that thanks to the persistent work of the S&D Group, the European Parliament has declared a climate emergency.

“Global warming is a fact and this is an emergency. Melting glaciers and rising sea levels are a fact and this is an emergency. Frequent wildfires, long periods of drought and more and more intense tropical storms are facts, and this is a climate emergency.

“Thanks to this resolution, the European Parliament places itself at the forefront of the fight against climate change. This will represent a powerful sign to the European and world leaders before the upcoming COP25 to push them to urgently take the concrete actions needed in order to fight and contain this threat before it is too late.”

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