EU committee calls for 30% carbon emission cut by 2020
An environmental EU committee agreed on increasing carbon emissions reductions target from 20 per cent to thirty per cent by 2020.
A European Parliament committee (ENVI) voted in favour of a resolution to increase the present 20 per cent target, Tuesday 24 May.
The resolution sets the EU goals for emission reductions– 30 per cent by 2020 with the aim of achieving 60-80 per cent by 2050. It also states that the EU should take on a leadership role in international climate issues.
Dutch Green MEP Bas Eickhout said: "We welcome the support of large majority of MEP’s on the environment committee and expect that this [report] will be endorsed by the whole of the European Parliament."
The resolution covers a wide range of ideas and strategies to achive the ten per cent increase.
The current resolution follows a previous one from 2007. Here EU leaders endorsed a collaborative approach to climate and energy policy that aimed to combat climate change and increase the EU’s energy sustainability.
The resolution came under a condition that countries with large CO2 emissions in the developed and developing worlds will commit to do their “fair share” under a global climate agreement.
Additionally, a legislative clause called 'Effort Sharing Decision’ will enable the EU to govern emissions from sectors not covered by the EU’s Emissions Trading Scheme, such as waste, agriculture and transport. Under the legislation each Member State has agreed to a binding national emissions limitation target for 2020 which reflects its relative wealth.
The agreement was welcomed by climate activists and green parties across Europe, with a plenary vote scheduled for 23rd of June.
Catherine Pearce from the European Environmental Bureau (EEB) said: "There are clear benefits to be gained by moving to 30 per cent now which would ensure the EU curbs its carbon addiction as soon as possible to save money and the climate".
On the ten per cent increase she added: "The current 20 per cent target is no more than business as usual. A real climate policy needs an ambitious target, responding to science, without loopholes. Moving to 30 per cent by 2020 would be an important first step."
