Brussels, 11/10/2013 (Agence Europe) - The nineteenth conference of the parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP 19) in Warsaw from 18 November must be a decisive step towards guaranteeing conclusion of a legally binding global climate agreement in Paris in 2015 and, for this to be so, COP 19 must set a timetable for reaching this agreement, says the European Parliament's environment committee. It makes this call in a draft resolution adopted in Strasbourg on Thursday 10 October, urging the European Union to speak with one voice and to be ambitious both for the climate and for its own interests. If Europe is to retain its technology lead, the committee feels it must set itself ambitious goals for 2030 in terms of greenhouse gas emissions, energy efficiency and renewable energy. This strong message was delivered only days before the Environment Council which, assuming all goes well, is due, in Luxembourg on Monday, to adopt conclusions on the position the EU will argue at COP 19 (see EUROPE 10940).
“Eyes are turned to the Paris summit in 2015, but in order to achieve a global and robust climate agreement, the Warsaw conference will be essential in setting its architecture and timetable. We believe that the EU has to lead efforts by raising its own objectives, in order to facilitate such a deal”, said environment committee chair Matthias Groote (S&D, Germany). Groote will lead the delegation of MEPs that will be in Warsaw from 18 November for the ministerial section of COP 19.
MEPs on the committee believe that the agreement to be reached in 2015 must have a goal of reducing global emissions to below 1990 (reference year for the Kyoto Protocol first commitment period) levels by 2030 and aim to phase out global carbon emissions by 2050. If the EU wishes to remain at the forefront of technologies for the future climate-friendly economy, it will have to reduce its own emissions by at least 50% by 2030, they argue. For there to be successful conclusion of an agreement in 2015, they say, all the countries will have to put reduction targets on the table before the world summit proposed by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon for September 2014.
They stress the importance of setting a carbon price for international aviation and international maritime transport emissions in order to reduce emissions and generate revenue.
The European Commission proposals for 2013 are expected before the end of the year. Poland, which will chair COP 19, is against any unilateral increase in the EU objectives currently on the table (20% reduction by 2020 compared with 1990 levels, and a 30% reduction if the other parties to the negotiations agree to similar commitments). (AN/transl.fl)