At a pledging conference in Paris today, seven European countries confirmed their commitment to double their previous contributions for the Green Climate Fund replenishment. But some other European governments continue to dodge their responsibility.
Today EU employment and social policy ministers adopted underwhelming conclusions of ECA’s latest report on the state of play in renewables progress, without committing to concrete actions to revive the boom of renewable energy.
According to draft conclusions of the European Council, EU leaders meeting today and tomorrow look forward to a proposal from the European Commission to establish a Just Transition Fund.
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The new president of the European Commission von der Leyen has made the European Green Deal a top priority for the European Union. Her political commitments put a strong emphasis on how EU funds can further support the clean energy transition in line with a more ambitious climate policy. The future EU budget, which will be discussed by EU leaders this week, must translate this ambition into a reality.
The European Parliament voted today for an increase of climate action spending in the next EU budget, calling for a quantum leap in financial efforts in order to achieve the Paris Agreement goals.
During his hearing in the European Parliament today, Commissioner-designate Frans Timmermans, pledged to propose an increase of the EU 2030 climate target to 55% emission cuts. The timing of this proposal however might not allow for Member States' approval well in time before the UN Climate Summit in November 2020, thereby depriving the EU of its global climate leadership role.
A clear majority of EU Environment Ministers have called for raising the EU 2030 climate target today. Others, representing 10 Members States, have turned a blind eye to numerous calls from climate scientists and millions of people protesting in the streets and prevented the EU from scaling up action to tackle the climate emergency in line with EU citizens’ demands.
During her hearing in front of the European Parliament today, Kadri Simson, Estonian commissioner-designate for energy focused on the implementation of the current, weak renewable energy and energy efficiency targets.
She was however very unclear on the need to raise them in order to contribute to higher climate ambition, and her support for fossil gas shows she still needs to find her way towards the clean energy transition.
The hearings of Commissioner candidates in front of the European Parliament from 30 September to 8 October will test the climate credentials of the new Commission.
The new landmark IPCC report on oceans released today shows that oceans are poised to turn into a huge threat to humanity unless we massively scale up emission cuts in line with the goal to keep temperature rise to 1.5°C.
Nicolas Derobert
Communications Coordinator
nicolas /at/ caneurope.org
Work: +32 2894 4673
Mobile: +32 483 621 888
Stevan Vujasinović
Communications Coordinator for Southeast Europe
stevan /at/ caneurope.org
Mobile: +381 (0)63 390 218
Goksen Sahin
Communications Coordinator
goksen /at/ caneurope.org
Work: +32 2893 0827
Mobile: +32 468 453 920
