Efter COP26-avtalet: Reaktioner från Europaparlamentariker i Glasgow

An official delegation from the European Parliament has been in Glasgow to take part in the UN Climate Change Conference, COP26, which ended today. The delegation was led by Pascal Canfin (Renew, FR), with Peter Liese (EPP, DE) as Vice-Chair, who made the following comment after the agreement was announced:

Pascal Canfin (Renew, FR), Chair of the delegation, said: “The deal at COP26 presents some good steps forward on the objective to raise $100 billion for vulnerable developing countries and the coalition to stop public financing for new fossil fuel projects abroad. However, we must admit that the deal is based on the lowest common denominator. The priority now for all the biggest emitters is to share concrete and credible roadmaps towards net zero emissions.”

Peter Liese (EPP, DE), Vice-Chair of the delegation, said: “The glass is definitely more than half full, but there is still a lot to do. While it is very positive that all now accept climate neutrality, it is a big problem that there is too little ambition until 2030. It also remains problematic that a country like China does not want to be CO2-neutral before 2060, which is clearly too late. We need to act faster so that our children and grandchildren still have a chance to control climate change.”

During the COP26, MEPs met with ministers, parliamentarians and other delegates from several non-EU countries including China, Brazil, the USA, Russia, Pakistan, South Africa, Turkey, Bangladesh and the Maldives, as well as representatives from international organisations and NGOs from Europe and developing countries.

A press conference with delegation Vice-Chair, Peter Liese (EPP, DE), and Commission Executive Vice-President Frans Timmermans took place on Thursday 11 November. You can watch a recording here.

On Wednesday 10 November, the European Parliament also held a side event on carbon pricing in the EU and the lessons to be drawn for the rest of the world. The session also examined the global context of the EU’s proposed Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) and the EU’s Emissions Trading System for the aviation and maritime sectors. You can watch a recording here.

Background

Parliament has been pushing for more ambitious EU climate legislation, and declared a climate emergency on 28 November 2019. In June 2021, the European Climate Law was adopted by Parliament. It transforms the European Green Deal’s political commitment to EU climate neutrality by 2050 into a binding obligation for the EU and its member states. It also increases the EU’s target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 from 40% to at least 55%, compared to 1990 levels. In July 2021, the Commission presented the “Fit for 55 in 2030” package to enable the EU to reach the more ambitious 2030-target.

Further information

• EP press release: “Climate change: raise global ambitions to achieve strong outcome at COP26” (21.10.2021) 
• The EP’s resolution on COP26 
• EP Side event: "Carbon pricing in the European Union: an invitation to the world. The Carbon Border Adjustment Measure and the EU Emissions Trading System for the aviation and maritime sectors in a global perspective." 
• EP Study: “The COP26 Climate Change Conference: Status of climate negotiations and issues at stake” (October 2021) 
• Official delegation of the European Parliament to COP26 
• EU responses to climate change (24.06.2021) 
• EP Research: 'EU climate action policy: Responding to the global emergency' (18.03.2021) 
• Eurobarometer on climate change 
• Multimedia package on COP26 
• COP26 host website 
• Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety