Friends of the Earth Europe today criticised the new proposal from the European Commission on the EU’s 2040 climate targets as inadequate and a betrayal of climate justice.
Considering Europe’s significant historical contribution to causing the climate crisis and its responsibility for halting it, the communication falls short in its proposed emissions cuts. Instead of targeting net-zero by 2050 – with a 90% reduction by 2040 -, NGOs have been calling on the EU to achieve real zero emissions long before 2050. By shirking its responsibility to lead in the transition away from fossil fuels, the EU risks shifting the burden to more vulnerable nations, exacerbating climate inequity.
The proposal also fails to conclude an end to the use of fossil fuels, with the exception of coal, and relies on unproven technological promises, like carbon capture and storage (CCS) to fill in the gaps. The failure to set an end date for the use of fossil fuels, including gas, in line with climate justice will allow fossil fuel corporations to continue profiting from the climate crisis at the expense of people and planet.
Colin Roche, climate justice and energy campaigner at Friends of the Earth Europe said
‘With this proposal, the European Commission fails its historic responsibility to tackle the climate crisis, which is already devastating lives in Europe and beyond, head-on. Instead, it counts on others including the world’s most vulnerable people to pick up the tab.’
‘There is a dark hole where an end to fossil fuels should be. Europe must define an expiry date for its fossil fuel addiction – long before 2050 – and stop pleasing the fossil fuel industry with dangerous loopholes and dodges like CCS. ‘
We are looking to the next European Commission to hear people’s voices, increase climate ambition, deliver real zero emissions and real climate justice.
