In the run-up to the end of the European Commission’s term of office and the forthcoming European Parliament elections, the European Commissioner for Climate Action, Wopke Hoekstra, spoke at Maastricht University (Netherlands) on Tuesday 21 May about the European Union’s prospects in five key areas: geopolitics, climate, the economy, migration and artificial intelligence.
“We need to define where we want to be in 10 or 20 years’ time”, he said.
Faced with the challenges of climate change, Wopke Hoekstra called for proactive European leadership, pointing out that the EU is not “fatalistic” and insisting on the use of scientific data as a reference rather than political rhetoric.
He pointed out that 2023 was the hottest year on record, underlining the urgency of the situation. He also linked climate change to security and financial issues, mentioning the costs to Slovenia of the recent floods.
While insisting on the need for a fair transition that also guarantees economic competitiveness, Commissioner Hoekstra reiterated the importance of the geopolitical dimension in the EU’s efforts to tackle climate change. The EU cannot act alone in the face of global emissions, which account for just 7% of the total.
On this point, he mentioned the EU carbon market and the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism, calling for its extension to step up global climate action. “Europe must therefore exert pressure”, he said, referring to a dedicated working group that reflects Europe’s commitment to leading the global fight against climate change.
The speech: https://aeur.eu/f/cb8 (Original version in French by Nithya Paquiry)