Riding on the wave of unprecedented citizen engagement on climate change, a coalition of NGOs, investors, businesses, local and regional authorities and European trade unions called on European leaders on Monday 18 March to raise the EU's climate action ambition as quickly as possible and make it part of the debate on the future of Europe.
"As representatives of various sectors across Europe, we believe it is high time for European leaders to rise up to the challenge of climate action. We need Europe to transition to a sustainable society and economy as soon as possible", writes this ‘Coalition for greater ambition’ - which brings together, among others, CAN Europe, IIGCC, the European Trade Union Confederation, The Prince of Wales's Corporate Leaders Group, C40 cities and Solar Heat Europe - in an open letter to the Heads of State or Government of the Twenty-Eight Member States, the President of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker, and Commissioner Miguel Arias Cañete (Energy and Action for Climate).
It was deliberately published ahead of the European Council (21 and 22 March), which is expected to provide political direction and set priorities for the EU's long-term climate strategy to be adopted by January 2020 (see EUROPE 12215/12).
From Sibiu to New York. The signatories urge EU leaders: - to endorse, at the special EU Summit in Sibiu on 9 May, the objective of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 at the latest, as part of the future of Europe vision; - to raise the EU's 2030 target (currently a reduction of at least 40% of its emissions compared to 1990 as a contribution to the Paris Agreement) to be compatible with the 2050 target and to send a clear message that the EU stands ready to proceed with the increase at the latest during the UN Climate Summit convened by the Secretary General in New York in September.
"Together we all call for a future safe from the climate breakdown, and an economy that works for people and the planet, withe green jobs, clean air, and prosperous communities", says Wendel Trio, Director of CAN Europe. (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)