The Executive Vice-President of the European Commission, Frans Timmermans, defended the institution’s position in the ongoing interinstitutional negotiations (‘trilogues’) on the ‘Climate Law’ on Thursday 4 March, during a debate with the European Parliament’s Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI).
In particular, he tried to respond to criticism from some MEPs that the target defended by the Commission and the Council of the European Union of a net reduction in EU greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of at least 55% by 2030 is not in line with what scientists are calling for (the Parliament is calling for a ‘gross’ reduction in emissions of 60% by 2030).
For him, a net reduction of at least 55% is a “fair target”, in view of the EU’s historical responsibility for the global climate crisis, as the statement that this target should be ‘at least 65%’ “mainly stems from the 2019 UNEP (United Nations Environment Programme) report” on the gap between needs and prospects for emission reductions.
However, “this ignores the fact that the EU had already reduced its net emissions by around 25% by 2019 (compared to 1990 levels), while the rest of the world saw an increase of emissions by 60%”, Mr Timmermans pointed out.
Net vs. Brut
He also reiterated his conviction that CO2 absorption must be taken into account in setting the EU’s 2030 climate target (see EUROPE 12569/9), while stressing the need for “balanced” forest management.
“To protect European natural (carbon) sinks, another better solution would be to have a separate target for sinks without undermining the climate protection target”, said Jytte Guteland (S&D, Sweden), the European Parliament’s rapporteur on the ‘Climate Law’.
Although he advocated a 55% target, Peter Liese (EPP, Germany) also stressed the need to ensure that the inclusion of carbon sinks is not “a loophole”, but an intelligent instrument to work on sinks.
Trilogues
Finally, criticising the Commission for not being an “honest broker” in the trilogues on the ‘Climate Law’, Bas Eickhout (Greens/EFA, Netherlands) said that the European Commission should have assessed the impact of raising the climate target to 60% (see EUROPE 12562/1), while mentioning a study on the subject published the same day at the request of his group (see EUROPE 12671/20).
The same for his Dutch colleague Michael Bloss (Greens/EFA, Germany), who claimed that the Commission purely and simply “ignores” the Parliament’s position in the negotiations on the ‘Climate Law’, but also in the preparation of the package of initiatives aimed at achieving the 2030 climate target, also known as the ‘Fit for 55’.
“I am not ignoring your position. I just don’t agree with it”, the Vice-President replied, while stating that the Commission was simply sticking to its initial position. (Original version in French by Damien Genicot)