Climate change: Scientific facts call for greater political ambition
Commenting on the European Parliament debate on the interim report on climate change(1), Caroline Lucas MEP,Greens'spokesperson on the issue,said:
"The report is not a simple technical summary of the science. It is deeply political because the stated facts call for a complete revolution in the way we run our economies. We must act in a commensurate way to the knowledge we have. Anything less would be a crime against future generations.
The report demonstrates that the EU's 20% emission reductions target is quite simply incompatible with the science on 2 degrees. We must therefore move unilaterally to at least 30% domestic reductions now.
The EU is uniquely well placed to take a lead on climate change, and to commit resources to help developing countries react. Taking on the challenge of climate change can also revitalise the EU's own institutions and help it to reconnect with the citizens it is supposed to represent."
Satu Hassi, member of the European Parliament Temporary Committee on Climate Change, commented:
"The climate report adopted by the European Parliament means we have to strengthen the ambition level of the new EU climate legislation. The Parliament referred to the advice of IPCC to cut the greenhouse gas emissions in industrialised countries by 25-40 % below 1990 levels by 2020 to have at least 50 % possibility to limit global climate change below 2 degrees Celsius compared to pre-industrial times.
This is what science tells us to do, but the Commission proposal, which we currently have in the legislative process, is not in line with the advice of the climate scientists. We should be consistent in our policy, and we should raise the ambition level of the so called EU climate package."
(1) Interim report Karl-Heinz Florenz (A6-0136/2008) – Scientific facts on climate change: findings and recommendations for decision-making.
