MEPs back tougher EU 2030 climate target

Members of the European Parliament’s environment committee on Friday voted for tougher emissions reductions, calling for an ambitious 60 percent reduction by 2030.

The MEPs supported the European Commission’s overall aim to enshrine the climate neutrality goal by 2050 in European Union (EU) legislation but at the same time demanded a more ambitious 2030 target, the committee said in a statement.

They called for emissions to be reduced by 60 percent by 2030 compared to 1990, instead of “at least 50 percent towards 55 percent” proposed by the Commission.

The Committee on Environment, Public Health and Food Safety adopted the report on the EU climate law with 46 votes for, 18 against and 17 abstentions.

The MEPs also demanded that an interim target for 2040 is to be proposed by the Commission following an impact assessment, to ensure the EU is on track to reach carbon neutrality in 2050.

Contrary to the Commission’s proposal, the committee also wanted both the EU and all member states individually to become climate neutral by 2050 and they called for sufficient EU and member state financing. Fossil fuel subsidies should be phased out by Dec.31, 2025 at the latest, they underlined.

The European Parliament will vote on its first reading during the October plenary session, after which it is ready to start negotiations with member states.

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Source: Xinhua