The EU today agreed on stricter climate targets. Accordingly, greenhouse gases are now to be reduced by at least 55 percent below the 1990 level by 2030. Previously, the target was 40% for the same period. For the first time, the EU calculations also include the greenhouse gases stored in forests and other "sinks".
"Billion-dollar pots are planned for this purpose: a modernization fund fed by revenues from emissions trading; a fund for just change, but also the 750 billion Corona reconstruction fund, at least 30 percent of which is to be used to implement the climate goals." (zdf.de see below)
According to the environmental organisation Greenpeace, however, 65 percent less greenhouse gases would be needed in the EU to achieve the 1.5 degree target of the Paris climate agreement of 2015. Sven Giegold (Greens in the EU Parliament) criticized in particular that the EU states do not set national climate targets.
Further links
www.sueddeutsche.de/politik/klima-eu-2030-1.5144482
www.zdf.de/nachrichten/politik/eu-gipfel-klimaziel-100.html
The Greens in the Bundestag commented on the decision in a press release on 11.12.2020 as follows:
New EU climate target can only be a first step
Commenting on the EU Council's agreement on new climate targets Lisa Badum, Spokesperson for Climate Protection:
The agreement on the EU's 2030 climate target of -55 percent is very important and yet it is not enough. This is not a fair contribution by Europe to international climate protection and does not do justice to its responsibility and the Paris climate agreement. It is good that the EU is delivering its climate target in time for the fifth anniversary of the Paris Agreement, but the calculation tricks on natural sinks are a very dangerous mistake and significantly diminish the target. It remains to be seen what the European Parliament can get out of the negotiations on the EU climate bill. In the best case, a higher climate target is possible after the fact, but it is necessary in any case.
The Green Deal promised us the climate revolution in Europe, this must now be tackled. The reconstruction of all states, and especially Germany, can only work if the money flows into emission-free production and economic methods. European emissions trading must become the leading instrument and, flanked by strong fleet limits, incentive programmes and CO2 limit compensation, must make the EU internal market completely emissions-free. The agreement on the common agricultural policy must be urgently renegotiated under this new climate objective; anything else would be contradictory.
As the German Council Presidency, the German government has somewhat loosened its climate blockade in the last few metres. It is remarkable how the Chancellor is negotiating a climate target in Brussels from which her energy and climate policy at home is light years away. The whole climate package, the CO2 price, coal phase-out, EEG amendment and energy efficiency must now be improved immediately. This target implies a much earlier German coal phase-out. The German government must make improvements here. Now more than ever, we need the massive expansion of renewable energies. The EEG amendment is still on the table in the Federal Cabinet and can be made fit for the new climate target. The German government must show that it takes the climate targets it has set itself seriously.
***
Here is also the press release of Germanwatch from 11.12.2020:
Climate agreement at summit: A big step for the EU, but still not enough for global climate target
New EU climate target for 2030 contributes to limiting global warming to two degrees - but still not enough for the necessary climate protection worldwide / Germanwatch calls for implementation with climate audit for public investments as well as more commitment of the EU to international partnerships
Brussels/Berlin (Dec. 11, 2020). The development and environmental organisation Germanwatch welcomes in principle the agreement of the heads of state and government on the new EU climate target of at least 55 percent emissions reduction by 2030. However, it criticises that the inclusion of CO2 sinks such as forests means that the real emissions reduction is likely to be several percentage points lower and misses sufficient commitment to achieve more worldwide: "Despite some weaknesses, the agreement on the climate target is a major step towards climate neutrality in the EU. For Germany, for example, this target means that the coal phase-out must now be completed by 2030. Just two years ago, such an agreement between all EU states would have been almost inconceivable. We owe this success to all the people who have campaigned for more climate protection in recent years," says Christoph Bals, Political Director of Germanwatch.
Germanwatch calls on the German government to now lobby the EU for a strong set of rules that will quickly meet the new 2030 climate target. "Particularly important is the question of how the EU and the member states will spend their money in the future. The summit decision calls for the EU budget and Corona aid packages to be used in a way that supports the achievement of the climate targets," explains Bals. "To do this, the EU institutions must now establish clear verification mechanisms so that where it says climate action on it, it is climate action on it. The verification framework for sustainable investments - the so-called EU taxonomy - protects us from technological aberrations and must become the benchmark for the entire EU budget and the stimulus packages."
The heads of state and government have left loopholes in their decision that must be closed in the upcoming final deliberations on the European climate law by the EU Parliament, the Commission and the environment ministers. "The climate target will be watered down if the necessary emission reductions can in future simply be offset against the natural removal of CO2 from the air by forests, moors and agriculture. To strengthen these natural sinks, there needs to be a separate target with a sub-target for agriculture and a mechanism for achieving the target. But this target should be set in addition to a pure emissions reduction target," Bals said. "It is true that the EU can show itself with this climate target tomorrow at the UN summit to mark the anniversary of the Paris Agreement. But measured against the goal of the Paris Agreement to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees if possible, it is still too little. We miss more commitment to climate partnerships with important emerging economies to enable ambitious climate protection, for example in India, South Africa and Indonesia, via technological and financial cooperation."
Further information:
- Germanwatch on EU climate targets: www.germanwatch.org/de/18934
- Germanwatch on the European Green Deal: www.germanwatch.org/de/european-green-deal
Keywords: DE-News, Renewable, Climate protection, News Blog Europe (without DE), Environmental policy
