Environment ministers from 10 EU countries call on the European Commission to make the European Green Deal the blueprint for the economic recovery measures.
“Environment ministers have rightly asked the Commission to put forward a plan to ensure a sustainable recovery out of the COVID crisis. Today’s tragedy is a chilling reminder that early and concerted action is needed to overcome collective threats including the dramatic costs of out-of-control climate change to our lives, well-being and economy”, Wendel Trio, Director of Climate Action Network (CAN) Europe reacted.
The ministers warn against short-term solutions to the current crisis that risk locking the EU into a fossil fuel economy for the decades to come. Instead, they insist the EU must make the European Green Deal the backbone of the long-term economic recovery, and remain resolved to increase its 2030 climate target by the end of this year.
Trio added: “To make our societies resilient to future shocks and our economies more sustainable, the Commission must set up a Paris-compliant economic recovery and put forward an ambitious climate target of at least 65% emissions cuts by 2030. This is the only way to protect citizens and economies from another, ongoing and worsening crisis: climate change.”
The EU’s current target of 40% emissions cuts by 2030 is off track with the objectives of the Paris Agreement. The recent United Nations’ Emissions Gap report backs the need for the EU to increase its 2030 target to at least 65% greenhouse gas emission reductions in order to contribute to keeping global temperature increase to 1.5°C. Above this threshold, climate change will become irreversible, out of control, and more costly for citizens and economies.
ENDS
Contact:
Nicolas Derobert, Head of communications, nicolas@caneurope.org, +32 483 62 18 88
Climate Action Network (CAN) Europe is Europe’s leading NGO coalition fighting dangerous climate change. With over 160 member organisations from 35 European countries, representing over 1.700 NGOs and more than 47 million citizens, CAN Europe promotes sustainable climate, energy and development policies throughout Europe.
