Jytte GUTELAND (S&D, SE), rapporteur speaks to the press on European Climate Law, in the European Parliament in Brussels. The following transcription is the result of an automatic process. Check Against delivery.

Brussels

GUTELAND, Jytte (S&D, SE)

press conference

fight against climate change (T)

European Green Deal (T)

Press conference by Jytte GUTELAND (S&D, SE), rapporteur on European Climate Law

SOUNDBITE (Original), Jytte GUTELAND (S&amp;D, SE), rapporteur, Thank you so much. I would like to start by saying that the EU Climate Law is a historic law and we are living in a time where EU is going through big change. And the transition to climate neutrality is really a new chapter for the European Union. I'm very proud and happy to see that the European Parliament in the vote yesterday confirmed the proposal from ENVI and that we got a really positive outcome.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Jytte GUTELAND (S&amp;D, SE), rapporteur, I could say we have 100 percent victory from the proposal that we actually put on the table. But of course, I would like to be humble. We have not yet heard the final vote. So I would, of course, also look into what's happening today. What I like to say to you is that it is very clear that the European Parliament would like us to work faster and do the transition to climate neutrality faster.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Jytte GUTELAND (S&amp;D, SE), rapporteur, So I see that with a majority have voted to have 60 percent reduction to 2030. I believe this is a very strong signal in front of the negotiations during the fall that the Parliament sees that the 10 first years are crucial if we should respect the Paris agreement and also for reaching, of course, its goal with this law to have climate neutrality in the EU.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Jytte GUTELAND (S&amp;D, SE), rapporteur, I would also like to point out some of the other proposals that were supported from the Parliament. One of the cornerstones, one of the most important ones are the fact that the Parliament would like the climate neutrality to be a binding target for the member states. And that means that we actually says that everyone needs to be on time and everyone needs to respect this law.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Jytte GUTELAND (S&amp;D, SE), rapporteur, I believe this is about fairness to the climate, to each other. But it is also actually better for the member states, who has a longer distance to reach climate neutrality, because I believe that if you left behind, if you will be much later than everyone else, the solidarity in this transition will be less effective. I would also like to say that the Parliament also want us to continue after reaching climate to charity and work with negative emissions.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Jytte GUTELAND (S&amp;D, SE), rapporteur, And that is also something that I believe is a natural. We have already emitted and we all, of course, need to continue to work after 2050. The parliament also said that we need greenhouse gas budget and asked the commission to put such a budget on the table. And this is also something that I believe is important if we are going to reach the Paris agreement, because how can we know every part, every sector&acute;s role if we don't have a full scale budget?

SOUNDBITE (Original), Jytte GUTELAND (S&amp;D, SE), rapporteur, So this is something that I also believe is very important from the vote yesterday. I would also like to mention the intermediate target 2040, and that also was confirmed by the parliament that the parliament would like to see an intermediate target at 2040. This is also important as a part of the travel to reach climate neutrality.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Jytte GUTELAND (S&amp;D, SE), rapporteur, I believe it would be a bit like after 2030 we would be in a weaker position if we don't have a very clear signal of where we are going 2040. But the parliament says that the commission should do an impact assessment before we set the figure.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Jytte GUTELAND (S&amp;D, SE), rapporteur, Finally, I would also like to mention, of course, the proposal from the Parliament to also install European Climate Change Council The idea about such a council is not to replace the global panel and neither to question the national different panels or councils that are evaluating the climate policy on the national level. But it is indeed to make sure that we evaluate the climate policy on the EU level.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Jytte GUTELAND (S&amp;D, SE), rapporteur, And I believe that the EU level is a very potent level for climate legislation, and it's natural that we know what we are doing, that we see that every sectorial legislation fits to the overall aim to reach climate neutrality and also, of course, the Paris agreement. This council should have independent experts and we believe that they should, of course, use the draught from the member states and also work tight together with their environmental agency in Copenhagen.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Jytte GUTELAND (S&amp;D, SE), rapporteur, That being said, I once again, as a conclusion would like to say, and I hope that everyone feels that this is really a historic moment and also historic law. This is the big transition and it's the game change to take you to a higher level for the climate policy.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Jytte GUTELAND (S&amp;D, SE), rapporteur, And with the challenge we have with the global heating, all the crisis that that is meaning for the world today, but also, of course, the risk we have in front of us. It is very important that we now have such a strong message from the European Parliament that we would like to act and have climate law and climate legislation that is strong. Thank you.