Greenpeace says EU should commit to 40 per cent CO2 cuts

By Martin Banks - 24th November 2009

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Next month's Copenhagen summit has been urged to set ambitious targets to tackle the "escalating climate crisis."

The demand by Greenpeace comes in the wake of what it calls "encouraging" signals from a meeting of EU environment ministers in Brussels on Monday.

Following the council, the EU's Swedish presidency issued a statement saying that the EU was moving closer to 30 per cent emission reductions.

In response, Joris den Blanken, Greenpeace EU climate policy director, declared, "Nothing less will do."

EU governments have so far committed to a unilateral 20 per cent emission reduction target by 2020.

“The world is a very different place from when the EU first proposed its climate targets. With a myriad of loopholes and reductions stemming from the economic slowdown, a 20 per cent cut has become nothing more than business as usual,” said den Blanken.

He added, “Millions of people, climate scientists and all developing countries around the world are calling for at least 40 per cent emission reductions in Copenhagen."

While the EU has been reluctant to move, rich countries such as Japan and Norway have made commitments for deep emission cuts, he said.

Developing countries such as China, Brazil, Indonesia and South Africa have also announced ambitious climate action.

"Greenpeace urges the EU to upgrade its emission reduction target to at least 40 per cent by 2020 compared to 1990 levels, with 30 per cent achieved domestically."

His comments come after a hearing in parliament was told by Greek Socialist deputy Kriton Arsenis that the summit "must produce a legally-binding" agreement to cut emissions.

The environment committee member told the hearing, organised by Climate Action Network Europe (CAN), the EU had not shown sufficient ambition on the issue.

Karim Harris, deputy director of CAN-Europe, said that whatever the deal at Copenhagen, "the most vulnerable people, those living in developing countries, are and will continue to experience the impacts of climate change.

"Agreements must be made to limit the problems caused by climate change and make adaptation a realistic option for those in the developing world."

Meanwhile, speaking in a debate in Strasbourg on Tuesday, Irish GUE/NGL MEP Bairbre de Brun called for a legally binding deal in Copenhagen and not just a "political compromise."

De Brun said any deal must be strong enough to tackle the challenge of climate change while being just and fair to developing countries.

"Industrialised countries must commit to at least a 40 per cent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2020 and a 80 per cent to 95 per cent reduction by 2050 compared to 1990 levels.

"The EU must commit to at least €30 billion per year in climate funding to developing countries by 2020 in addition to overseas development aid," she said.

"Developing countries should not be left to reap what the developed world has sown."