The European Parliament wants the EU to take the lead in the international climate negotiations that will start in Madrid (2-13 December) and to speak with one voice in Madrid, as reflected in the resolution adopted by MEPs on COP25 on Thursday 28 November.
The ambitious text, approved by a large majority, incorporates the recommendations of the Committee on the Environment (see EUROPE 12378/5, EUROPE 12364/23).
The European Parliament urges the EU to submit its long-term strategy to achieve climate neutrality by 2050 to the UNFCCC as soon as possible.
To achieve this, MEPs believe that the EU should raise its 2030 target to a 55% reduction in emissions compared to 1990 (instead of at least 40%). They therefore call on the new President of the Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, to include this 55% target in the European Green Deal.
MEPs believe that COP25 should serve to define a new level of ambition, both in terms of the implementation of the Paris Agreement and the upcoming NDCs, which should reflect an increased level of commitment to climate action in all sectors on land and in the oceans.
MEPs believe that EU countries should at least double their contribution to the Green Climate Fund. They point out that the public and private resources mobilised by developed countries for climate finance are still below their collective commitment to mobilise $100 billion per year starting in 2020.
They urge all EU countries to phase out all direct and indirect subsidies for fossil fuels by 2020.
All paragraphs of the text that advocated a ban on nuclear power have been deleted.
MEPs believe that all countries should include international aviation and maritime emissions in their nationally determined contribution projects.
“We have today adopted an ambitious position for COP25. It is essential that the European Union plays its role of leadership in this field with ambitious and realistic targets”, said Agnès Evren (EPP, France).
Michaela Šojdrová (EPP, Czech Republic) explained her abstention vote by supporting ambitious targets, for Member States reducing their emissions, but by the impossibility for her to support raising the 2030 target to 55% “without knowing what the impact will be”.
Angel Dzhambazki (ECR, Bulgaria) voted against, arguing that this text “undermines state sovereignty”, that the EU’s unilateral level of ambition “will lead to the destruction of social protection systems and will have a negative impact on companies with a risk of relocation”.
“For the 2050 decarbonisation all amendments calling for an impact assessment were rejected - proof that no attention is paid to the costs of these policies”, according to Robert Rowland (independent, United Kingdom), denouncing “economic ignorance”. (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)