Opposition urges declaring climate emergency

The parliamentary groups of the five opposition parties on Thursday urged parliament to declare a climate emergency in Hungary.

Representatives of the parties addressed a joint press conference in response to parliament’s vote on Tuesday to put on the agenda opposition proposals on declaring a climate emergency and urging measures to eliminate the effects of climate change.

Erzsébet Schmuck, co-leader of green LMP, noted that they had submitted their climate emergency proposal back in May. The party also urged Hungary to draft a climate law and a roadmap for decarbonisation by 2050, she said. Tibor Nunkovics of the nationalist Jobbik party said that the opposition had been surprised to see government lawmakers backing their proposals in parliament.

“But the question is whether the governing parties really want to have a meaningful debate on climate change or just want to show to their international partners that they are taking steps against it,” he said.