European Parliament, Brussels, 4th October 2006 – Members of the European Parliament’s Environment Committee made personal pledges and demands on climate change today as part of a Friends of the Earth Europe photo-action [1]. The action took place shortly before the MEPs voted to recommend a reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by eighty percent by 2050 and to recommend that negotiations on the next Kyoto period should be finalized by 2008 [2].
Esther Bollendorff, Climate campaigner at Friends of the Earth Europe said:
“The Environment Committee in the European Parliament has recommended that the EU should set a target to cut greenhouse gas emissions by eighty percent by 2050. The Council and national governments now have to follow this recommendation, and then must deliver real mechanisms to reduce emissions. We need an energy shift – away from coal, oil and nuclear to energy efficiency and renewables.”
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| Mr. Claude TURMES, Luxembourg, Greens/EFA “I’ll vote in favor of an 80% emissions reduction target by 2050; in return I expect governments to finalise post-Kyoto negotiations by 2008”. |
Mr. John BOWIS, UK, EPP-ED “I prefer public transport and my feet! Make rail and bus an attractive travelling option.” |
Mr. Chris DAVIES, UK, ALDE “I will buy only cars that emit less than 120 g/km carbon dioxide. I insiste on the European Commission introducing binding legislation on car manufacturers to reduce CO2 emissions on new cars to 140 g/km by 2008 and 120 g/km by 2012.” |
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Click on the photos for high resolution versions. Please conctact Friends of the Earth before using these photos.
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The visual event today involved MEPs making “Climate Deals”. Each MEP was asked to make a personal pledge to fight climate change, either by altering their lifestyle or using their own political power. In return, they demanded real policy change by national governments to cut greenhouse gas emissions [3]. The MEPs wrote their “Climate Deals” on big coloured wooden speech bubbles and were then photographed holding them.
Examples of “Climate Deals” by MEPs today included:
“I will vote in favour of an eighty percent emissions reduction target by 2050. In return, I expect governments to finalise post-Kyoto negotiations by 2008,” Claude Turmes, Luxembourgish Green/European Free Alliance MEP
“I will only buy cars that emit less than 120 grams of carbon dioxide per kilometre. In return, I insist that the European Commission introduces binding legislation that forces car manufacturers to reduce carbon dioxide emissions on new cars to 150 g/km by 2008 and 120 g/km by 2012,” Chris Davies, UK ALDE MEP
Friends of the Earth Europe has been out on the streets this summer, encouraging thousands of citizens across Europe to make “Climate Deals”. The message of the campaign has been that the world will only win the fight against climate change with an input from both individuals and governments [4].
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| Mrs Jillian EVANS, UK, Greens/EFA “I will always use my vote to stop climate change. 20% energy savings by 2020”. |
Mrs Rebecca HARMS, Germany, Greens/EFA “Save the climate, save energy! 20% until 2020 in the EU is possible with me and you!” |
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| Mrs Satu HASSI, Finland, Greens/EFA “I will vote in favor of a sustainable EU energy strategy. I want the European Commission to push for strong energy savings: 20% by 2020”. |
Mr. Roberto MUSACCHIO, Italy, GUE/NGL “Io chiedero in Europa e in Italia che la continuazione di Kyoto sia la principale scelta da compiere. Votero per l’energia pulita e contro il nucleare”. |
Mrs Margrete AUKEN, Denmark, Greens/EFA “I will vote for strongest possible energy saving proposal – We need an ambitious energy savings target: 50% by 2025”. |
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| Mrs Hiltrud BREYER, Germany, Greens/EFA “I’ll vote in favor of an 80% emissions reduction target by 2050; in return I expect governments to finalise post-Kyoto negotiations by 2008”. |
Mr. Gyula HEGYI, Hungary, PES “Less cars, more water and green! As a private person, I prefer walking, cycling and public transport. As a journalist, I promote the same idea. As a politician, I do my best for this cause in EU, Hungary and all over Europe”. |
Mr. Carl SCHLYTER, Sweden, Greens/EFA “10% increase in local food procurement worth 17 times more than all regional policy, I buy local”. |
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| Mrs Karin SCHEELE, Austria, PES “I use frequently public transport, energy friendly and low consumption products. In counterpart I ask for more renewables energie and will support energy efficiency of housing. “ |
Mr. Anders WIJKMAN, Sweden, EPP-ED |
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| Mrs Dorette CORBEY, Netherlands, PES “I bicycle as much as possible. I buy solar panel and I work in the Parliament 1/3 of my time and energy to combat climate change”. |
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NOTES :
[1] For photos of the MEPs at the action today, see:
http://www.foeeurope.org/press/2006/JK_04_Oct_Climate_Deal_EP.htm
[2] Today, the Environment Committee voted its resolution on the EU strategy for the Nairobi Conference on climate change (COP12), which is taking place in Kenya in November 2006. The main topic of the conference will be to discuss the future of the climate regime once the first Kyoto commitment period ends in 2012.
Exact text of the resolution and amendments adopted are available from Friends of the Earth Europe.
The resolution text agreed by the Environment Committee today will now be voted on by the full plenary of 732 MEPs later in October.
[3] http://www.foeeurope.org/climatedeal/ClimateDeal_handout_041006.pdf
