Brussels, 16/11/2011 (Agence Europe) - When it comes to tackling climate change, there is no room for shilly-shallying or excuses for not doing anything, the European Parliament says in a firm message delivered in Strasbourg on 16 November. It was with renewed conviction and an overwhelming majority (532 votes to 76, with 43 abstentions) that MEPs called on the EU to lead the way at the UN climate conference in Durban (COP 17, 28 November-9 December), to give “public and unequivocal” support to the continuation of the Kyoto Protocol after 2012 and to seek, in its own economic interest, more than a 20% reduction in CO2 emissions by 2020. The resolution on the Durban conference, adopted in plenary session with the support of the five main political groups, is virtually identical to the recommendations formulated by the EP environment committee on 26 October (see EUROPE 10485). It is a delegation of 15 MEPs, led by Jo Leinen (S&D, Germany) who chairs the environment committee, strengthened by this broadly based consensus, that will travel to Durban.
“International climate negotiations are at a crossroads between stagnation and progress - the EU must help to create a new dynamic in Durban. The economic crisis must not be used as an excuse not to act. The EU should back the Kyoto Protocol and work with other countries on a roadmap to ensure a comprehensive climate treaty is in place by 2015 at the latest”, Leinen said before the vote. Climate Action Commissioner Connie Hedegaard pointed out that opposition to a second Kyoto commitment period did not come from the EU but from third countries. “We all know that Durban is not going to deliver what we would like to see in Europe - the internationally binding deal. That is not because of Europe. It is because of others. Europe is willing to take a second commitment period
but, unfortunately, not too many are following us there. Japan, Russia, Canada, who used to be members of the Kyoto family, have clearly stated that they are not going to take a second commitment period”, she stated.
Hence the two conditions put by the EU on its opening a second commitment period: improving the Kyoto Protocol rules, which guarantee its environmental integrity, and agreement on a roadmap engaging all the major emitters in a broader framework. On Wednesday 16 November, the commissioner tweeted: “Just read that India & US reject climate commitments AND say Durban will fail if Europe doesn't take Kyoto 2. Paradoxical”. Karl-Heinz Florenz (EPP, Germany) has said he is certain that “only with a green economy will we be able to save jobs and prosperity. We need to face taking on board other 'big countries'. To simply continue with the Kyoto Protocol will not be enough”.
In a clear indication of its level of ambition, the Greens/EFA Group welcomed the text adopted by the EP. “With the international community seemingly having forgotten the seriousness of the climate crisis, the European Parliament has sent a clear message. The EU must back unequivocally the extension of the Kyoto Protocol and remove the most obvious weaknesses, for example, how emissions from forestry and land use are accounted, as well as hot air. The EU must seize climate leadership and drive forward the prospect of a binding international agreement”, said Yannick Jadot (Greens/EFA, France).
In its resolution, the EP also calls on the EU to help find agreement on sources of a Green Climate Fund to support developing countries, which should reach US$100 billion by 2020.
MEPs say that new measures are needed to curb aviation and maritime emissions, which have so far been excluded from the Kyoto protocol, and to address land use change. In the face of challenges by some countries outside the EU, MEPs stand firmly behind legislation they approved in 2008 to include aviation in the EU emissions trading system from 1 January 2012.
The EP is concerned that there is a “gigatonne gap” between the international emissions reduction commitments currently on the table and the UN target of limiting average global warming to 2 degrees Celsius (compared with the pre-industrial era). UN scientific reports have concluded that the industrialised countries need to reduce their emissions by 25-40% below 1990 levels by 2020. (AN/transl.rt)