Tense negotiations on the European climate law

The carbon trading scheme is also likely to be introduced in aviation and shipping in the near future. This was stated by MEP Pascal Canfin, a member of the Renew Europe group and chairman of the Environment Committee of the European Commission (ENVI) during a briefing for journalists before the vote on the Climate Act. He admitted that it is quite possible that the law will enter into force before the end of this year. MEPs are expected to vote on the law in Brussels this Wednesday, after which it will be considered by the Council of the European Union.

Only a month ago the European Commission announced its new measures to reduce harmful emissions, according to which by 2030 the EU must reduce by 55% carbon emissions, compared to 1990 levels. According to Kanfin, 55% is the right balance between climate goals and the economic recovery of the community after the coronavirus crisis. Kanfin himself is also a supporter of the EU Border Carbon Adjustment Mechanism. This mechanism aims to prevent the leakage of carbon-intensive industries as a result of the pricing of emissions quotas in the EU Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS).

According to the MEP, the next step will be the creation of a better circular economy in the EU, in which the emphasis should be on the possibilities for recycling and reuse of resources in the community.

In addition to emission mechanisms, the development of energy efficiency and renewables will be essential to achieving the 55% target. It is through the renovation of the building stock in the EU that many new jobs will be created here in the community, the MEP added.

Parliament's Committee on the Environment has voted in favor of the climate goals, which each Member State must meet individually. It is clear that climate neutrality will not be possible if we do not take everyone on board, Canfin explained earlier in an interview with Euractiv.

We cannot afford to have complete freedom for states to choose whether or not to take climate policy if we are serious about climate neutrality. "Even Poland now plans to close all its coal-fired power plants by 2049. And we adopted in plenary two weeks ago the regulation on the Fair Transition Fund, which gives countries with a specific starting point access to additional funding," Kanfin recalled. He recalled that it was the ENVI Commission that had already proposed that Europe's emission reduction target be increased to 60%.”

“I expect Wednesday's vote to be very difficult, as various political groups in the EP, such as those of the European United Left, the Greens and most of the Social Democrats with Renew, will support this goal. I hope that some members of the EPP, especially the youngest ones, will take responsibility. The final outcome of the vote is likely to depend on them. Following the announcement of China's intentions to achieve climate neutrality in 2060, the European Parliament, which voted on the 60% target for 2030, will be another message of hope," Kanfin said in an interview. He himself is convinced that combating the climate crisis is the challenge of our generation.

According to the initial estimates by the International Energy Agency (IEA), global energy demand in 2020 could fall by about 6%, it became clear during the meeting. The data were provided by Francois Dejan from the European Environment Agency. From there, they are still unable to give an accurate estimate of exactly how much harmful emissions would fall in 2020 due to the coronavirus crisis. However, even after the recovery of economies, emissions will not reach their levels from 2019, said Dejan.

The EPP supports a 55 per cent reduction in emissions

The largest political party in the EP - the European People's Party - continues to stand for a 55% reduction in emissions. We strongly support the proposal of the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyden and we want Europe to be carbon neutral in 2050, explained at the seminar and Peter Liese from the EPP. He added that since 1990, Europe has managed to reduce its harmful emissions by 25 percent. Many changes in the economic sectors will now be needed to achieve the new goals in just ten years. We believe that this is achievable, and in the assessment of 60% it is too big a goal. That is why we rely on the expert assessment of the European Commission to reduce emissions by 55 percent, Liese added.