MEPs to Push For Ambitious Outcome at COP27
An official delegation from the European Parliament is in Egypt this week to participate in the UN Climate Change Conference, COP27, taking place in Sharm el Sheik. The delegation is led by Dutch MEP, Bas Eickhout with German MEP, Peter Liese as Vice-Chair.
The European Parliament adopted its position on COP27 on 20 October 2022. At the COP, MEPs will meet with ministers, parliamentarians, and other delegates from non-EU countries including USA, China, Canada, Turkey, Zimbabwe, Maldives, Bangladesh, and the Marshall Islands. They will also meet Dr Hoesung Lee, Chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and Inger Andersen, Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme, as well as civil society representatives.
The Parliament is a co-legislator on the EU energy and climate legislation which seeks to implement the Paris Agreement, and before the EU can enter international agreements Parliament must give its consent. It has been pushing for more ambitious EU climate legislation and declared a climate emergency on 28 November 2019. In June 2021, Parliament adopted the European Climate Law, which transforms the European Green Deal’s political commitment to EU climate neutrality by 2050 into a binding obligation for the EU and member states. It also increases the EU’s target for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 from 40% to at least 55%, compared to 1990 levels.
Negotiation is ongoing with member states on the “Fit for 55 in 2030 package” in order to enable the EU to reach the more ambitious 2030-target. A political agreement between Parliament and Council has already been made for stricter rules for member states’ greenhouse gas emissions, a zero-emissions target for new cars and vans in 2035 and on the land use, land use change and forestry sector (LULUCF).
Bas Eickhout, Chair of the delegation said, ‘While climate change impacts become more visible each year, the world is still not on track to limit global warming to levels regarded as safe and agreed in Paris in 2015. In Glasgow we bought ourselves another year to be able to stay below 1.5 degrees. COP27 must ensure that this year doesn’t become a lost year. Talks on loss and damage is central at this African COP and will be key for the negotiations. The European Parliament would like to see a loss and damage facility established at this COP.’
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