It is on the strength of its climate progress within a legislative framework that is unique in the world, determined to accelerate its efforts and willing to be a source of inspiration for others, that the European Union will attend the Climate Action Summit on 23 September in New York, the European Commission stressed on Wednesday 11 September.
Providing global leadership by example is the EU's watchword for this summit convened by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to stimulate the increase of countries' ambitions and accelerate the implementation of the Paris Agreement (see EUROPE 12294/3).
This is also the framework of a communication adopted on Wednesday by the outgoing Commission to set out the messages that the EU, represented by the President of the European Council, Donald Tusk, will deliver to this event.
Here are these messages: - it is realistic to say that the EU should be climate-neutral by 2050; - the EU will meet the targets set for 2020 and all commitments under the Paris Agreement will not only be met, but exceeded by 2030 (a 45% reduction in emissions compared to 1990 and not 40%); - in the EU 2021-2027 budget, 25% of expenditure will be devoted to financing climate-related activities, including a fair and equitable transition; - the EU is the world's largest provider of development aid funds with 74.4 billion euros provided in 2018, with a growing share devoted to climate action.
"The European Union will bring to New York the fruit of our work on the Energy Union: a realistic perspective of a climate-neutral Europe by 2050, backed by ambitious policies set in binding legislation. And we are ready to look at climate financing", Vice-president for the Energy Union Maroš Šefčovič told the press.
And to announce that the EU will present in New York an initiative being prepared by Commissioner Dombrovskis - the international platform on sustainable finance.
"We are a global climate leader and our climate action is an outstanding example of delivery, including in the context of our Long Term Strategy process. The EU's approach is to ensure that climate ambition is not only about headline targets, but about actual delivery on our promises", said Commissioner for Climate Action and Energy Miguel Arias Cañete. He mentioned a "strong mandate from our citizens".
A Eurobarometer survey published on Wednesday shows that for 93% of Europeans, climate change is a "serious problem" and "very serious" for 79% of them.
The Commissioner would have liked an agreement on climate neutrality by 2050 in June, but said he was "confident that at the next European Council, a consensus can be reached" on this point, but also to "encourage the fund for a socially fair transition in December". This will allow the incoming Commission to use these tools for greater ambition, he said.
Mr Šefčovič went a step further. "We have a basis for the Green Deal" (of the future von der Leyen Commission: EDITOR'S NOTE). We have undertaken the most far-reaching reforms in the energy and industrial sectors since the industrial revolution. I think we will find arguments to convince the countries that are lagging behind."
The fair transition on which the next Commission will work and the 'coal' platform, which helps coal regions in their transition, should, he said, "lead to a consensus on climate neutrality and help to overcome small differences".
In parallel to climate neutrality by 2050, the Green Deal provides for an increase in the EU's 2030 target to a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions of at least 50%. According to his mission statement, Executive Vice-President Frans Timmermans will have to lead international negotiations to increase the level of ambition of the other major emitters by 2021 and will have to present by then a global plan to raise the EU's 2030 target to 55%.
Speaking to a group of journalists, Greens/EFA Group Co-President Bas Eickhout (Netherlands) said on Wednesday that "the biggest challenge for the new Commission will be to bridge the gap between what is happening on the streets" (citizen engagement for the climate) "and the ambition of policy makers". From the New York summit, we should not wait too long, given the uncertainties about what China and India will say. However, he hopes that China will advance its peak emissions to 2022.
On the other hand, the EU-China Summit under the German Presidency in 2020 - in which Germany wants all EU Heads of State or Government to participate - could prove decisive. What is important, according to him, "is what climate neutrality means by 2050 for the 2030 objective. The real fight will be next year. Will there be a real ambition or a recalculation of what is already on the table?", he asked, recalling that, according to science, it is a reduction of 65% that is needed by 2030.
"It will be up to Frans Timmermans to ensure that the 2030 ambition is raised next year. Given the climatic urgency, it is not possible for DG Climate to drag its feet. COP 26, at the end of 2020 (Glasgow, Scotland) will be the last opportunity", he said.
The MEP said he was in favour of a carbon tax at borders, provided it is accompanied by a removal of free allowances in the ETS. He warned against including transport in the ETS: "It is German industry that is pushing for this to replace CO2 emission standards with a less successful carbon price". According to him, it is better to reform the ETS by changing the linear emission reduction factor. (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)