Environment ministers discuss long-term climate targets
EU environment ministers prepare the EU’s position on climate change ahead of December’s Lima summit.
Environment ministers from the European Union’s member states today (28 October) discussed the EU’s position ahead of an international climate-change summit in Peru in December, building on agreements reached by EU leaders last week.
The ministers stressed that the EU is determined to “jointly over-achieve their reduction targets for the first commitment period of the Kyoto protocol”. The aim is to reduce carbon emissions by 80%-95% in 2050 compared to 1990 levels. At their meeting last Thursday and Friday (23-24 October), EU leaders pledged to reduce emissions by at least 40% by 2030 compared to 1990 levels.
Gian Luca Galletti, Italy’s environment minister, said: “[The agreement] paves the way for Europe to take a leading role on climate challenges. Our goal is a fair and ambitious global agreement, which would make all countries of the world responsible for a crucial issue for the future of the planet, setting out a model of socially and environmentally sustainable development.”
The ministers also discussed ‘greening’ the European Semester and the Europe 2020 strategy. They agreed on a strong focus on sustainability in policies adopted as a response to the economic crisis. They also emphasised that efficient use of resources must be a priority, and called upon the European Commission to find ways to make the Europe 2020 strategy greener.
“The transition to a green and circular economy is a real possibility for development for Europe, an effective tool to combat the crisis and a new field of activity on which to focus in order to create millions of new jobs”, said Galletti.
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The ministers also held a debate about waste management that aims to protect the environment, while making sure that national resources are used in a sustainable way.
Janez Potočnik, the outgoing European commissioner for the environment, said that “targets for waste are technically realistic and achievable”.