The EU would be in a position to be able to increase its target on greenhouse gas reduction to over 45% by 2030 as its contribution to the Paris climate agreement, Climate Action and Energy Commissioner Miguel Arias Cañete announced at the opening of the second ministerial conference on climate action (MoCA), jointly convened by the EU, Canada and China, in Brussels on Wednesday 20 June (see EUROPE 12042).
That, he said, could be the result of the inter-institutional agreements reached on the renewable energy and energy efficiency targets and on governance rules on the energy and climate policies until 2030 (see other article).
“Last Thursday, EU negotiators agreed to increase the 2030 renewable energy target to 32% up from the original 27% target on the basis of which our at least 40% emissions reduction target in our NDC was modelled. And yesterday evening, EU negotiators agreed on a new 32.5% energy efficiency target by 2030 up from the 30% original target. … Both new targets would de facto mean that the European Union would be in a position to raise the level of ambition of the NDC and increase its emissions reduction target from the current 40% to slightly over 45% by 2030”, he said. He acknowledged, however, that the EU would have to update its policy for achieving its long-terms objectives.
The commissioner, Canadian Environment and Climate Change Minister Catherine McKenna and Chinese Special Representative for Climate Change Xie Zhenhua called on all those taking part in the MoCA, the theme of which was “Driving the international climate agenda for the future”, to maintain the momentum to ensure the success of COP 24 in Katowice in December.
“At a time where multilateralism is being challenged, this meeting is a living proof of our commitment to implementing the Paris Agreement and determination to find solutions and compromises, all of us, multilaterally. The EU, China and Canada are determined to continue work with all Parties to this end”, Cañete stated. He said the MoCA was an opportunity to build on the Petersberg informal ministerial dialogue in Berlin earlier in the week, where it was made clear that achieving results in COP 24 would require the pace of negotiations to be picked up.
Cañete stressed that the Paris Agreement requires further reductions from everyone, while pointing out that the EU is responsible for only 10% of global emissions. He called on all those attending the ministerial meeting to help COP 24 to agree “guidance for the implementation of the Paris Agreement that unites Parties and does not divide them”, in particular on emissions reduction, adapting to impacts and supporting implementation – “robust enough to deliver confidence … flexible enough … and dynamic enough”.
McKenna noted that the first MoCA, in Montreal in September 2017 had made clear that the Paris Agreement was not renegotiable. “In Katowice we will ensure robust common guidelines that are key to ambition and financing climate action for years to come”, she said.
Xie stated willingness to “work hand-in-hand for a positive contribution to COP 24”. He stressed the importance of joint, but differentiated, accountability and transparency and accountability rules in implementing the Paris Agreement. “Our goal is a low-carbon economy and a common destiny for human beings”, he said, highlighting the need also to address the crisis in the decline of biodiversity and marine life and to achieve the sustainable development goals. (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)