EU leaders of Austria, Finland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Spain attending the climate summit COP24 have recognized that further climate action is necessary to reach the 1.5°C temperature goal set out in the Paris Agreement.
Speaking at the high-level segment of COP24, Mark Rutte, Prime Minister of the Netherlands has committed to increase his country’s climate target to 55% emission cuts by 2030, and to encourage all other EU countries to adopt the same target for the whole bloc.
Leaders of Austria, Finland, Luxembourg and Spain have also recognised the need to increase the level of ambition of Paris Agreement pledges by 2020 and stated their support for achieving net zero emission by 2050. They have also highlighted the joint declaration demanding more climate ambition signed by 18 EU countries.
In reaction to the statements of EU leaders, Wendel Trio, Director of Climate Action Network (CAN) Europe said:
“Several EU leaders have added momentum for a successful outcome of COP24. It is positive to see that they recognise the urgency to sign up to more ambitious targets to avoid the worst impacts of climate change. Now they need to show that they mean business and commit the EU to massively increase its targets. To have a good chance of keeping temperature rise to 1.5°C, the EU’s 2030 target must be increased even beyond the 55% reduction the Netherlands have called for.”
ENDS
Contact
Ania Drazkiewicz, CAN Europe Head of Communications, ania@caneurope.org, +32 494 525 738
Notes:
[1] CAN Europe COP24 media advisory: https://caneurope.org/publications/press-releases/1698-cop24-first-deadline-for-the-paris-agreement
Climate Action Network (CAN) Europe is Europe’s leading NGO coalition fighting dangerous climate change. With over 150 member organisations from 35 European countries, representing over 1.700 NGOs and more than 40 million citizens, CAN Europe promotes sustainable climate, energy and development policies throughout Europe.
