Brussels, 29/10/2015 (Agence Europe) - MEPs and the President of the COP 21 share the same expectations regarding the UN Climate Conference in Paris (COP 21, 30 November 11 December): the COP21 requires at the very least an ambitious and legally binding agreement that seeks to limit global warming to at least 2°C, with a five yearly revision clause and appropriate funding ($100 billion a year up to 2020), which would enable the most vulnerable countries to adapt to climate change.
On Thursday 29 October at the EP in Strasbourg, the French Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Development, Laurent Fabius (who will be chairing the COP21), met with MEPs from the foreign affairs and environment committee for an exchange of views on the COP21 and looked at the issue of negotiations, as the Environment Council had done a few days earlier (see EUROPE 11419).
Fabius and Hollande in China this weekend. Fabius informed MEPs that he would be accompanying François Hollande to Beijing this weekend and stated “a joint declaration with our Chinese friends is planned”. This visit will precede a Pre-COP meeting on 8-10 November in Paris at which 80 ministers are expected.
Although the Bonn pre-agreement still contains a lot of options and too many pages, “154 countries have submitted their INDCs, which represents close to 90% of global emissions, much more than the 15% covered by Kyoto”. Fabius referred to the “considerable change” achieved and the fact that “this is the first time that we have proceeded in this way”. Elmar Brok (EPP Germany) chairs the Foreign Affairs Committee and highlighted the need to take into account the extremely close relationship between climate change, peace and security and migration. Giovanni La Via (EPP, Italy), the president of the Environment Committee, which will lead the EP delegation in Paris on 7-12 December, explained how important it was for the EU to speak with a single voice and provided the presidency of the COP21 with reassurances of his support. He stated: “We are ready to do everything in our power to help you guide the negotiations towards success”. This corresponds to the aim pursued by the Parliament with the ambitious position it adopted in view of the COP21 and for which it received thanks from Fabius (see EUROPE 11411). (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)