Less than 100 days until the UN COP 21 climate conference, the European Commission has reaffirmed its commitment to a new global climate change agreement, including targets to reduce global emissions by 60% by 2050, and making internationally legally binding targets.
Speaking to press on behalf of the European Commission on August 20, the Commissioner on Energy, Miguel Arias Cañete, addressed the issue of the new agreement, which will be discussed in Paris later this year. Cañete stated that there is “need to define the key elements for success in Paris.” With the recent meetings such as the G7, there is a strong feeling from all sides that there is a “strong political will to reach an ambitious global climate agreement.”
In order to speed up the negotiating process, UN representatives have presented an improved negotiations text for the August session. Even though it is still a lengthy document, it will hopefully improve the negotiating procedures between the countries.
The second point that the Commissioner raised was the need for a dynamic review in order to strengthen addition over time. In the face of scientist warnings and repeated communications from the United Nations, the Commissioner warned that “We have to be prepared for the possibility of a gap between what is on the table in Paris and what science requires.”
Cañete reaffirmed the EU’s commitment towards long-term targets, including the 2 degree objective, which is embedded in the sustainable development section of the Copenhagen accord. The Commissioner stressed that every country needs to do their part in the effort to reach this target, no matter how small. Furthermore, he highlighted the ambitious emission targets and the EU’s role:
“The European Union was the first major economy to submit its contribution in March – a binding, economy-wide emissions reduction target of at least 40% by 2030, compared to 1990 levels.This is the most ambitious contribution presented to date.”
Cañete was critical and asked the Paris conference to deliver a firm and clear message to all the EU and to the world as a whole, which echoes both the principles of transparency and accountability:
“We have to be sure that the deal we make in Paris will be about actions rather than words. Nationally determined targets must be backed by multilaterally agreed rules on transparency and accountability. Without these there will be no trust or confidence that countries will deliver what they have committed to, nor will we be able to track collective progress towards our goals.
As you all know, the European Union also strongly favours targets that will beinternationally legally binding. It is no secret that like the United States a number of countries are reluctant to agree to some forms of binding deal.
It is up to these countries to demonstrate a convincing alternative that gives the necessary long-term signal that citizens, markets and decision makers need.