'Our House Is On Fire': EU Parliament Declares Climate Emergency
Source: The Guardian
Bloc warned against making symbolic gestures not backed up by concrete action.
The European parliament has declared a global "climate and environmental emergency" as it urged all EU countries to commit to net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. The vote came as scientists warned that the world may have already crossed a series of climate tipping points, resulting in "a state of planetary emergency".
Intended to demonstrate Europe's green credentials days before a crucial UN climate conference in Madrid, the vote also ratchets up pressure on Ursula von der Leyen, the incoming president of the European commission, who declared this week that the EU would lead the fight against "the existential threat" of the climate crisis.
Although passed with a comfortable majority, with 429 votes in favour, 225 votes against and 19 abstentions - MEPs across the political spectrum warned against making symbolic gestures.
Environmental campaigners said the declaration was not backed by sufficient action. "Our house is on fire. The European parliament has seen the blaze, but it's not enough to stand by and watch," said Greenpeace's EU climate policy adviser, Sebastian Mang, shortly before the vote...
Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/nov/28/eu-parliament-declares-climate-emergency
"Member states have one month left to improve their plans," said Wendel Trio, the director of Climate Action Network Europe. "It is crystal clear that the quality of these plans will weigh a lot in the EU's ability to act on climate change in the next decade. They must set clear pathways that will allow the bloc to increase its climate target, shift away from fossil fuels and speed up the pace towards fully energy efficient and renewables-based economies."
------------------------------------------
- 'EU Parliament Declares 'Climate Emergency' DW/Deutsche Welle
European 'Green Deal': The incoming European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, has proposed a "European Green Deal' that aims to achieve "climate neutrality" -- or no added greenhouse gases to the atmosphere beyond those that can be absorbed -- by 2050.
The proposal includes an increase in carbon taxes, heavier investment in sustainable business, reductions in pollution, and increased protection for Europe's wilderness, national parks, and green spaces.
European lawmakers have said the bloc must assume a leading role in the international fight against climate change...
https://www.dw.com/en/eu-parliament-declares-climate-emergency/a-51447172
Record heat wave in Europe summer 2019: France reached 114.8 degrees F in July 2019.
Flooded Venice, Italy in Nov. 2019.
= new reply since forum marked as read
