Brussels, 4 September (Argus) — The European Parliament’s environment committee today discussed a call to reject the European Commission’s proposal for a 2040 greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction target, with parliament’s largest group, the centre-right EPP, set to join liberals, green and left parties in supporting the climate goals.
The EPP group remains in “intensive” dialogue, said Peter Liese, who has negotiated for parliament the revision of the emissions trading system (ETS). “We have many different positions on the figure, and to be honest, here, the science is not so clear,” said Liese, a German EPP member. Liese said he is “not obsessed” with the proposed figure of 90pc GHG cuts by 2040 from 1990 levels.
“But we are very clear: we don’t support the proposal for rejection [of the 2040 target].” Liese said. He wants the EU’s climate plan, or nationally determined contribution (NDC), to contain a 2035 GHG reduction target greater than 72.5pc. France previously suggested that the 2035 target could be between 66.5pc, if derived from current efforts to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and 71.5pc, if taking into account the European Commission’s proposal to cut GHG emissions by 90pc by 2040 from 1990 levels.
“Let’s not forget that 2035 is more important than 2040,” said Liese. The EU is expected to submit its NDC to UN climate body the UNFCCC this month.
The liberal Renew group also supports the 90pc GHG reduction for 2040. Dutch Renew member Gert-Jan Gerbrandy said: “We are not all very happy with the commission proposal, but it’s a very good basis for further discussion.”
“We need 90-95pc domestic net decarbonisation until 2040,” Austrian Green Lena Schilling said. “There is no space for loopholes.” Schilling notes that the Greens will oppose flexibilities — the use of carbon offsets towards national emissions targets — under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement providing for the use of international carbon credits.
In his report to the 2040 climate target to the energy committee, Danish draftsman Niels Fuglsang has also proposed getting rid of international carbon credits. He said his S&D group, together with the EPP, Renew, Greens and the Left in the energy committee, do not go below a GHG target cut of 90pc by 2040.
Fuglsang noted conservative and far-right groups reject the 90pc GHG proposal. The groups opposing do not have a majority to reject the 2040 target in an environment committee vote planned towards the end of September. An exact date has yet to be set for the whole parliament to vote in early October.
“Rejection is just postponing,” said draftsman Ondrej Knotek, a Czech member of the far-right Patriots For Europe group. His legal report calls for the commission’s July legislative proposal for a legally binding EU-wide GHG target for 2040 to be rejected.
Knotek garnered support from Anja Arndt, a German member of the far-right AfD party. “This proposal from the commission must not be adopted. If this proposal goes through, it means the final de-industrialisation of Europe, the end of prosperity and of social peace,” Arndt said.
By Dafydd ab Iago
