Ahead of a plenary debate this evening on the 2030 framework for climate and energy policies, GUE/NGL MEPs Sabine Wils and Martina Anderson have called for the European Parliament to adopt three binding targets. They support a greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction target of at least 60%, a nationally binding renewables target of 45% and a 40% energy savings target, as well as for clear ambitious binding targets to be adopted by each member state.

GUE/NGL MEP Sabine Wils commented: “The European Union is bowing out on its responsibility to tackle climate change. A GHG reduction target of just 40% by 2030 endorses 'business as usual' and means the climate action that is essential to preventing climate catastrophe will be set back by a decade!  Allowing the use of offsets delays the decarbonisation of the European economy even further and should be forbidden, as should subsidies to fossil fuels and nuclear energy. We need a social-ecological transition in the European energy system with a clear shift towards renewables.

“The discussion on future EU climate and energy targets is dominated by the profit-interests of big corporations. The fossil fuel industry is pushing for false solutions to climate change like agrofuels, carbon capture and storage (CCS) and hydraulic fracking to extract shale gas. Three binding targets on GHG-reduction, renewable energy and energy savings would be in the interests of European citizens and the environment.”

GUE/NGL MEP Martina Anderson said: “Just four months after the IPCC published a report showing that 95% of scientific research points to human activity as the cause of climate change, the European Commission has unfortunately published watered-down 2030 climate and energy targets which are simply not fit for purpose and do nothing to help improve international negotiations. To send a strong message to the Commission and the Council it is essential that the European Parliament endorses the Environment and Industry committees' recommendations to make the three targets legally binding.

“These targets must be ambitious and legally binding if we are to avoid unprecedented global warming whilst ensuring sustainable growth. Nuclear, CCS, shale gas, and continuing with fossil fuel exploitation are all false solutions: necessary and continued investment in green renewable technology must be assured by a binding target.”

GUE/NGL Press Contacts:
Emily Macintosh +32 470 85 05 08
Gay Kavanagh +32 473 84 23 20
European United Left / Nordic Green Left
European Parliamentary Group