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Europe must review climate targets, says Oxfam
International humanitarian agency Oxfam has said the target set by European leaders to curb carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by at least 40 percent was welcome, but was only a first step that fell far too short of what the European Union (EU) needed to do to pull its weight in the fight against climate change
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nternational humanitarian agency Oxfam has said the target set by European leaders to curb carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by at least 40 percent was welcome, but was only a first step that fell far too short of what the European Union (EU) needed to do to pull its weight in the fight against climate change.
Oxfam's deputy director of advocacy and campaigns, Natalia Alonso, said such insufficient action from the world's richest countries placed yet more burdens on the poorest people most affected by climate change, but least responsible for causing the crisis.
'By leaving the possibility to increase the 40 percent target as part of the international negotiations, European leaders such as (German Chancellor Angela) Merkel and (UK Prime Minister David) Cameron acknowledge that what has been proposed is inadequate ' today's deal must set the floor, not the ceiling, of European action and they must arrive in Paris with a more serious offer,' Alonso said in a release made available to The Jakarta Post on Saturday.
'It is shocking that business leaders called for higher and more binding targets than those agreed by EU leaders,' she went on.
Alonso was commenting on a European leaders' meeting on Friday in Brussels to agree on an EU climate and energy package meant to last up until 2030.
Apart from a 40 percent reduction of C02 emissions, the leaders also decided to increase the amount of renewable energy in the mix to at least 27 percent and set a non-binding target to reduce energy demand by at least 27 percent.
'EU leaders had a historic opportunity to shape a smarter, fairer, more sustainable future through a clear shift toward renewable energy and energy efficiency today. Instead, they have been held back by the fossil fuel industry and their friends, settling for an underwhelming response that keeps the EU stuck in the energy and climate crisis,' said Alonso.
She said leaders had agreed to slow down Europe's energy saving efforts and renewable energy development and this so-called climate package would subsidize coal to the tune of billions of Euros.
'Despite this, European leaders still have the opportunity to redeem themselves by reviewing their emissions targets as early as possible next year and ensuring all EU countries commit the money needed to help poorer countries deal with climate change,' said Alonso. (ebf)
