On Monday 9 April, WWF called on European environment ministers to seize the opportunity presented by their informal meeting in Sofia on 10 and 11 April to make good use of the new drive recently injected by the member states into efforts to combat climate change.
At the end of March, the European Council called on the European Commission to present a long-term EU strategy for implementing the Paris climate agreement by the first quarter of 2019, that is to say, before the European elections of May 2019 (see EUROPE 11988).
“There is an exciting sense of growing momentum on climate action in Europe. This meeting is a chance for EU ministers to use their leaders’ call for a long-term climate strategy as a springboard for increased domestic and European action. They must ensure a net zero emissions goal for 2050 at the latest is at the heart of the EU strategy and that our 2030 goals are revised upwards to reflect it”, said Imke Lübbeke, Head of Climate and Energy, WWF European Policy Office in a press release. Ministers, she added, “should also rapidly get to work on their own ambitious long-term climate plans”.
An informal exchange of views among ministers on the Talanoa Dialogue is scheduled for 11 April (see EUROPE 11996). The Environment Council will meet on 25 June. (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)