ECO is hearing rumours of a battle over the EU’s direction for a long-term goal towards a carbon-free future, and its position on INDCs. European environment ministers will meet in Brussels early next week to adopt the EU’s position towards Lima. This is an opportunity to show they are serious about building a truly fair and ambitious global climate regime. And ECO has a few tips for the EU:
Tip 1. Apply the science to enhance the action.
ECO hopes that all EU member states, particularly Poland, understand the importance of adopting a long-term mitigation target that reflects the urgency of the scientific advice of the IPCC, and the need to signal an irreversible transformation towards a carbon-free global economy. To stay below 2°C, emissions need to peak by 2020 and drastically reduce by 2050. That’s why ECO has been making the case for a total phase out of fossil fuel emissions by 2050, to be replaced by a 100% renewables future. ECO knows that the EU has committed to reduce its own emissions by 80-95% by 2050 as part of the global long-term efforts, and would like to advise that Parties respect the science before resisting the action. Given that most EU Member States agree, ECO is confounded by the rumours that the current COP President does not to agree.
Tip 2. Be open.
The Paris agreement must be an agreement that, amongst other things, fully addresses mitigation, adaption and support. INDCs are a fundamental building bloc of that agreement, which should reflect more than just mitigation and therefore more than just the EU’s climate and energy package set to be adopted this week. EU leaders must respect the expertise and hard work of their international delegates here in Bonn, who wish to ensure that INDCs retain the option to include other elements such as finance and adaptation. Taking a narrow stance on INDCs now may come back to haunt the EU in the near future, and (as friendly critics to the EU over the years) we really don’t want that.
So from Bonn to Brussels, ECO wishes European environment ministers a fruitful meeting with ambitious outcomes!
