CALL FOR ENHANCED CLIMATE AMBITION
Joint letter to Mr. Frans Timmermans, Executive Vice-President-designate for the
European Green Deal
CC: Ms. Kadri Simson
Dear Mr. Timmermans,
The 25
th
session of the Conference of the Parties to the UNFCCC in December is a crucial
occasion for all actors, public and private, to demonstrate their determination to rapidly
increase their efforts to tackle climate change. In order to be able to show leadership in this
regard, respond to scientific evidence and to fulfil the legitimate demands of its citizens, the
European Union needs to commit, before the end of the year, to substantially enhanced
climate ambition. Both the longer-term strategic outlook, indispensable to guide our joint
efforts over the coming decades, and short-term action are equally important.
We very much welcome that 24 Member States expressed a clear position at the European
Council meeting in June with regard to
achieving climate neutrality (net zero GHG emissions)
by 2050 at the latest
and we very much encourage, in line with the European Council
Conclusions of June, consensus to be reached as soon as possible and before the end of this
year. It is indeed absolutely vital that the EU commits to adopt a
long-term strategy as soon
as possible in 2019,
to be submitted to the UNFCCC in early 2020. The strategy should be fully
in line with the objective to keep global temperature increase below 1.5°C.
Further to the importance of setting ambitious, collective long-term strategies, it is needless
to recall that all Parties to the UNFCCC, including the EU, as committed to in Paris, will have
to rapidly and substantially
raise the level of ambition of their NDC,
to ensure that the
temperature goals of the Paris Agreement will stay within reach.
The EU should, therefore, commit to
increase the EU GHG reduction target for 2030 to -55%
from 1990 levels and reach climate neutrality by 2050 at the latest, in line with the 1,5°C. A
strong commitment by the European Commission on climate paves the way to underpin the
European Green Deal to drive the in-depth transformation and bold measures needed across
all sectors of the economy.
It is both a challenge and a major opportunity to set the EU on a course towards an ambitious,
cost-effective and socially fair transition to a climate neutral economy that can bring benefits
for economic growth, employment, quality of life, public health, biodiversity, etc.
In order to reap these benefits, a just transition for all and support for citizens, businesses
and regions is needed. To achieve this goal, funding will be necessary to support the necessary
investments, e.g. in infrastructure, agriculture and forestry, zero emission vehicles, buildings
refurbishment, job training and the creation of new jobs, and to support innovation.