Europe – a positive stance?

EU environment ministers have agreed on an ambitious stance going into the COP26 climate summit in November, but said they will only implement it if all other signatories of the Paris Agreement commit to do the same.

The conclusions passed by the EU’s 27 environment ministers highlighted the urgent need to tackle the climate crisis, saying global warming “is a direct and existential threat to humanity and biodiversity that spares no country”.

Alongside this, ministers agreed to support a proposal that all countries increase their national climate goals every five years – rather than every 10 – in light of the latest science.

This would provide more regular opportunities to increase climate targets under the Paris Agreement in line with climate science and public concern, according to Romain Laugier from the WWF European Policy Office.

“The EU took a decisive step in support of stronger international climate governance,” he told EURACTIV.

“Crucially, it will give negotiators more than two chances to solve the climate emergency and put the world on track to achieving climate neutrality within a timeline consistent with a 1.5°C pathway,” he added.

But he warned the position to support five-year common time frames is not as ambitious as it could have been.

According to a compromise, the five-year cycle was agreed “from 2031 onwards” and “only in the case all parties would be required to do so” as well. The wording was aimed at winning support from countries like Poland and Bulgaria, which favoured a 10-year timeframe instead.  Read more…

EU ministers sign off on COP26 position, with one caveat