In a speech to the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR) on Thursday 19 November, António Guterres, the Secretary-General of the United Nations called on the European Union to raise its 2030 target for reducing greenhouse gas emissions to at least 55%.
“I urge you to continue to lead with concrete and ambitious near-term commitments”, he said to the EU, referring in particular to the international climate summit on 12 December to mark the fifth anniversary of the Paris Agreement.
With the 27 leaders of the Member States due to meet on 10-11 December to reach agreement on the 2030 climate target, he sees the summit as an obvious opportunity for the EU to present a more ambitious climate plan (see EUROPE 12582/2).
However, the climate issue may ultimately be relegated to second place at the December European Council meeting because of the deadlock on the budget and the Recovery Plan (see EUROPE 12605/1).
The European Green Deal, the Recovery Plan and the inclusion of climate change in the 2021-2027 European budget provide the EU with the opportunity to “show the world how to move towards climate neutrality and climate resilience while ensuring prosperity and a just transition”, Guterres said.
He went on to emphasise the need to allocate sufficient stimulus funds, eliminate coal and end European funding for fossil fuels at a global level. (Original version in French by Damien Genicot)