“Climate protection on the way to Cancún: What role for the European Union?” was the theme of this week’s EMI Briefing with Connie Hedegaard, European Commissioner for Climate Action and Jo Leinen, MEP and Chairman of the European Parliament Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety.

The Commissioner expressed the hope that Cancun would produce some substantial decisions in an outcome that would be balanced but with conditionality. In reference to the current meeting on climate change in Tianjin, China, the Commissioner expressed concern regarding the extent to which countries were restating positions and continuing to appear unwilling to make compromises. Ms. Hedegaard took the opportunity to note that thus far, only the EU has legislated for its 2020 climate change targets and recalled that the UNION is willing to go further, though not unilaterally. She stated that Europe is prepared to fast track finance to help emerging economies with programmes of adaption, mitigation and forest protection but, such a process will require transparency on the part of recipients in delivering verifiable results.

Jo Leinen, Vice-President of the European Movement International, took the opportunity to emphasise the job potential of a green technology revolution, aimed at a sustainable economy and society. He affirmed that the European Parliament does not believe that a 20 percent CO2 reduction by 2020 will be sufficient, stressing that by 2050 developing economies would need to reduce their CO2 footprints by more than 80 percent compared to today. Mr. Leinen highlighted the fact that in terms of CO2 emissions per head, the average emission in the United States was 20 tons compared to 10 tons in the EU, 4.5 tons in China, 2 tons in India and less than 1 ton per head in Africa per year.

In response to questions on the EU extending Kyoto limits beyond their current termination date, both speakers appeared willing to countenance a possible extension subject to multiple conditions and provided it was a multilateral and not unilateral initiative.

[ENDS]

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Editors Note: The debate, moderated by Pat Cox, President of the European Movement International (EMI), was kindly hosted by the House of the Members of Parliament at the Belgian Senate. It took place under the auspices of the Belgian Presidency of the EU and in cooperation with the European Movement Belgium.

For more information, please contact the EMI secretariat: +32 (0)2 508 30 85, email: communication(at)europeanmovement.eu