'Cautious welcome' and 'frustration' meet EU climate proposals
CHRISTIAN AID RESPONDS TO EU CLIMATE PROPOSALS
Christian Aid’s Principal Climate Change Advisor, Dr Alison Doig, said: “The EU has set a positive tone for the year’s negotiations, calling for a legally binding Paris Protocol and for all major emitters to act first and fastest.
“Their call for a 60 per cent reduction in global emissions by 2050 is not enough to keep global temperature rise below 2 degrees Celsius, as it is based on now out of date science. However, the proposal to scientifically review the Paris outcome on a five year basis is welcome and would provide opportunity to increase its strength as needed.
“But this will only happen if EU leaders give much greater political attention to the low carbon economy than they have shown in recent years. Some countries such as the UK fought hard to get the EU to commit to emissions reductions of ‘at least 40 per cent’ by 2030. The EU needs to set an ambitious interim target for 2025 which ensures rapid action upfront, and needs to use today’s announcement on energy union in Europe to enhance action on renewable energy. .
“The biggest failing of the EU’s proposal is the lack of support for developing countries. It makes no mention of the long-standing commitment to help provide $100 billion in climate finance by 2020 and it avoids making any commitments of substance beyond 2020.
“If the EU and other developed nations arrive in Paris without concrete plans on finance and adaptation then it will be difficult to get developing countries on board. This has to be a priority for negotiations in the coming months.”
Ends
Friends of the Earth press release
EUROPE FAILING TO SHOW CLIMATE LEADERSHIP, SAYS FRIENDS OF THE EARTH
Commenting on the publication today of the European Commission’s vision for Europe’s energy future, and its proposed preparations for the crucial UN climate summit in Paris later this year, Friends of the Earth’s International Climate Campaigner Asad Rehman said:
"These EU climate and energy proposals are desperately disappointing.
“The economic and environmental necessity of shifting away from dirty energy is becoming ever clearer, yet the EU continues to row backwards when it comes to taking concrete action.
“Simply parroting the importance of climate action whilst giving a green light to fossil fuels won’t fool the people of Europe or encourage other nations to decarbonise their economies.
“If the EU won’t raise the bar ahead of the crucial Paris climate summit, who will?
ENDS
EUROPE’S CLIMATE AND ENERGY PLANS FRUSTRATE
*****
Brussels, February 25 – Major announcements made in Brussels today suggest Europe is holding back from the urgent action needed to transform its energy system and combat climate change.
The European Commission released details of its ‘Energy Union’ vision for Europe’s energy future, and its proposed preparations for a key global climate summit in Paris later this year. [1]
Brook Riley, climate justice and energy campaigner at Friends of the Earth Europe commented on the announcements: “It’s frustrating to see the European Commission say it’s serious about tackling climate change, but gloss over the inadequacy of its own measures to transform Europe’s energy system.
“The target European governments have agreed on for reducing greenhouse gas emissions is based on outdated science, and assumes a 50:50 chance at best of staying below 2°C global temperature increase. People must not be duped into believing the EU is taking genuine action on climate change.”
Energy Union
The ‘Energy Union’ paper published today outlines Europe’s energy strategy for the next years. It stresses the need to shift the economy away from fossil fuels, says primary consideration should be given to energy efficiency, talks up the importance of renewables, and emphasises the importance of citizens taking ownership of energy.
But this vision is blurred by attempts to placate the fossil industry by diversifying gas supplies.
Brook Riley said: “We keep hearing repetitions of gas, gas, gas. But at the same time Europe has promised to cut emissions by up to 95% by 2050. It is saying one thing and doing another. The EU risks throwing hundreds of billions of euro into pipelines that it will have to decommission almost as soon as they come online because they contribute to climate change.”
“If Europe would exploit the full potential of energy savings and renewables, much higher emission cuts would be possible and we could leave the beaten track of fossil fuel dependency once and for all.”
Paris Protocol
The ‘Paris Protocol’ communication also published today is the European Commission’s s proposed position for the EU ahead of the United Nations climate talks in Paris in December where a new international climate change agreement is expected to be made.
In it the European Commission highlights the importance of a legally binding agreement by the end of the year to keep global warming below 2°C.
But the proposed emissions reduction pathway beyond 2020 (known as Intended Nationally Determined Contribution or INDC) reveals a huge gap between current climate action pledges and what science and equity tells us is needed to adequately combat climate change
Susann Scherbarth, climate justice campaigner at Friends of the Earth Europe said: “Europe has huge potential to go far beyond the 40% emissions cut it has announced for 2030 without relying on international offsetting or carbon trading in any way. It is essential that it sets out a stronger emission reduction pathway up to 2020 and beyond.
“By locking in inadequate climate action Europe is threatening lives and livelihoods across the world. The EU, and others like the US, are not doing their fair share given the challenge we face and the responsibility they have to reduce emissions at home and give financial and technical support to those who need it urgently.”
Friends of the Earth Europe believes the EU needs to propose an emissions reductions target which is in line with what science says is necessary to avoid the worst effects of climate change, and its responsibilities as a historic emitter. [2]
Friends of the Earth Europe also argues that the EU needs to provide new, additional financial and technological support for climate action in developing countries. Only action on this scale will bring about the energy transition needed to avoid the worst consequences of climate change.
***
For more information please contact:
Brook Riley, climate justice and energy campaigner, Friends of the Earth Europe, 
+32 (0) 2893 1030, +32 (0) 470 041 539, brook.riley@foeeurope.org
Susann Scherbarth, climate justice and energy campaigner, Friends of the Earth Europe, +32 2 893 10 14, +32 486 34 18 37, susann.scherbarth@foeeurope.org
Francesca Gater, communications officer at Friends of the Earth Europe, +32 (0) 2 893 1010, +32 (0) 485 930 515, francesca.gater@foeeurope.org
***
Notes:
[1] Energy Union communication: http://ec.europa.eu/transparency/regdoc/rep/1/2015/EN/1-2015-80-EN-F1-1.PDF
Paris Communication: http://ec.europa.eu/transparency/regdoc/rep/1/2015/EN/1-2015-81-EN-F1-1.PDF
[2] http://www.climatefairshares.org/
blog comments powered by Disqus
