Climate agreement leaves too much scope for interpretation and back-tracking

Statement by GUE/NGL MEP Anne-Marie Mineur on the COP 21 agreement in Paris

 

“This agreement has every ingredient in it to be historical. It delivered a huge success on the reference to 1.5 degrees as the preferable goal, while the official goal is stated as “far below 2 degrees”.

 

“However, the measures that have been agreed upon leave too much scope for interpretation and back-stalling.In particular, the mention of the long-term 'net-zero' emissions goal leaves room for a ‘business-as-usual’scenario where the dirty energy industry still has the possibility to keep using fossil fuels, just as the Commission wanted.

 

“We need to move away from fossil and into renewables to guarantee a viable planet for the generations to come. The non-binding elements on climate financing and loss damage deny developing countries a strong commitment on support from the West. “What we fear most is the options open to Big Business to keep on going as before. They are not obligated tostop polluting, they simply have to compensate. If not regulated properly this can lead to more human rights abuses.

 

“I think the most important thing now is that we keep on mobilising to demand greater ambition. More than 10,000 people showed up today in Paris to let their voices be heard, which is an amazing signal. We cannot stop here; we have to keep on making our voices heard to ensure that greater ambition will be achieved at a later stage.”