EU environment ministers today approved the intended nationally determined contribution (INDC) to the new Paris climate agreement for the EU and its Member States. By 2030, EU countries want to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions by at least 40 percent compared to 1990 levels.
Federal Environment Minister Barbara Hendricks commented: "We have sent a strong signal to the international community. Europe is ready to make an ambitious contribution to climate action. We are taking a major step towards a climate-neutral Europe. Now that the EU has become the first major emitter to present its contribution, I expect the other major economies to follow suit and submit their intended contributions for Paris in time."
The agreement reached in the Environment Council today means that EU will be able to submit its INDC for a new global climate action agreement in timely fashion. The climate conference in Lima in late 2014 confirmed that this should be done in the first quarter of 2015 if possible. A new global agreement is then to be adopted in Paris in late 2015 and the targets of the contracting parties made binding in the new agreement.
Hendricks: "The EU has set standards today: We have an ambitious and transparent climate target that includes all sectors of the economy and society. We expect the same from others. It is important that we conduct a discussion about the INDCs in the second half of the year after they have been announced. The question will be: do they suffice in total to curb dangerous climate change? And if not, how do we achieve more extensive reduction commitments for the protection of the global climate? The EU must be ready to do more if necessary. The phrase "at least" in the formulation of our target is especially important to me. That means that we can still increase to 40 percent plus X. The 40 percent is what we have to reach within the EU. But for the X, we could also include allowances from climate projects in developing countries."