As the end of COP30 in Belém (Brazil) approaches, the European Union presented its ‘roadmap’ for implementing paragraphs 28 and 33 of the first global stocktake (GST-1). The text, submitted to the Parties, aims to accelerate the implementation of the transition away from fossil fuels “in a just, orderly and equitable manner”, under the coordination of the current and incoming COP Presidencies.
At the press conference on Wednesday 19 November, the European Commissioner for Climate Action, Wopke Hoekstra, stressed the urgency of the situation and the need for collective responsibility. For the EU, he reiterated, the success of the COP hinges on “ambition” and on closing “the gap between implementation and ambition”, at a time when the world is “dangerously close to truly destructive tipping points”. He praised as well the Brazilian Presidency’s “sense of urgency”.
In addition, he pointed out that the EU had held consultations with numerous partners, “from Palau to China, from South Korea to Colombia”, to broaden support for a global transition away from fossil fuels.
The head of the European Parliament delegation, Lídia Pereira (EPP, Portuguese), expressed a willingness to “return to Europe with a real commitment to implementing” the climate commitments and decisions of the COP. She reaffirmed the priority given to moving away from fossil fuels and reiterated that “it is possible to decarbonise and grow”.
She also pointed out that Europe’s exemplary role, which was to be illustrated by the revision of the ‘Climate Law’ - the objective of reducing emissions by 90% by 2040 compared to 1990 (see EUROPE 13746/1) - must serve as a “recipe” to encourage other regions of the world to commit to the transition.
However, the issue of trade policies and the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) was relaunched. According to AFP, several Asian countries consider it “illogical” and “incoherent” for Western countries to deprive themselves of Chinese green technologies when they themselves are making massive use of them to speed up their transition. The EU, for its part, is defending a climate instrument.
Wopke Hoekstra stated that the CBAM is “a climate tool” not “a unilateral trade measure”, pointing out that its aim is to prevent carbon leakage.
On Thursday 20 November, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, António Guterres, called on the Parties to reach an “ambitious” final agreement. “The world is watching Belém”, he said, according to AFP, urging negotiators to reach a compromise that maintains “1.5°C as the only red line”.
To see the EU proposal for a ‘roadmap’ for the implementation of paragraphs 28 and 33 of the first global stocktake: https://aeur.eu/f/jkf (Original version in French by Nithya Paquiry)