In this way, the twelve signatory ministers demand that the European Commission present, no later than next June, a proposal to contribute to the Paris Agreement (NDC) in which the reduction of emissions to 2030 be at least 50% and, if possible, 55% with respect to 1990 levels – in front of the current objective of cutting them by 40% -.
In addition to Ribera, their counterparts in Austria, Denmark, Finland, France, Italy, Latvia, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, Slovenia and Sweden sign the letter. The shipment occurs the day before the College of Commissioners approves the European Climate Law, which will be discussed on Thursday at the Council of Environment Ministers.
With the European Council supporting the objective of climate neutrality by 2050, in line with the objective of not exceeding a 1.5 degree temperature increase at the end of the century, the EU has set a path to climate ambition for the coming decades that It will bring great opportunities for the transformation of the economy and society.
For the response to the European Union climate crisis to be solid and credible, the next urgent step is for the Commission, in response to the mandate given by the European Council of December last year, to present a more ambitious contribution to the Paris Agreement. in the first semester of the year.
The year 2020 is key for the 189 countries that have ratified the Paris Agreement to comply with the schedule established therein and raise the ambition of their commitments to combat climate change presented in 2015.
The result of the COP25, held in Madrid last December, acknowledged that there is a gap between current emissions reduction commitments and the objective set by Science to avoid a global temperature rise above 1.5ºC, and called on countries to Present this year more ambitious contributions to respond to the climate emergency.
EU Leadership
In this context, the twelve ministers recognize the importance of the EU maintaining its international leadership to act as a "tractor" to the rest of the countries and to generate alliances for greater climate ambition.
This political momentum at the international level aims to encourage other countries to follow the path of the EU and to increase the ambition of their contributions well in advance, before the Climate Summit that will take place this year in Glasgow in November.
For Teresa Ribera, fourth vice president and minister for the Ecological Transition and Demographic Challenge, the European Union has "a historical responsibility to lead the fight against climate change and must reach the Glasgow COP26 with a new objective of reducing emissions more ambitious than the current one. Science has shown that current commitments are insufficient and people on the street are asking us to act urgently. In Madrid we saw the great distance between negotiators and our citizens. We saw how the summit was on the street and in the actions of non-state actors. They are the ones who will evaluate, before and after COP26, if our commitments respond to the emergency we are experiencing. "
The proposal that the Commission will present must open the door to an informed debate, so it is urgent that it be ready as soon as possible, and no later than June. This calendar is essential for the EU to arrive in Glasgow on time and to help influence other countries that will be very aware of what the European Union does. "We have to be able to positively influence climate diplomacy in relevant international events in 2020, not only with China or with India, but also with the rest of the economies that have significant potential to encourage more action and faster," says Ribera. .
