Following a meeting with NGO representatives from developing countries, Peter LIESE (EPP, DE), Vice-Chair of the EP Delegation, debriefs on the participation of the Parliamentary delegation in Glasgow for the UN COP26 Climate Change Conference and the state of the negotiations. Views of climate activists demonstration in Glasgow with police interventions.

statement

EP delegation

United Kingdom

demonstration (THS)

LIESE, Peter (EPP, DE)

Glasgow

police

fight against climate change (T)

COP 26 (T)

EP Delegation to COP26, Glasgow (UK): meeting with NGO representatives from developing countries and final statement by Peter LIESE (EPP, DE), Vice-Chair of the EP Delegation

Exterior views of the Scottish Event Campus in Glasgow.

Demonstrations of activists, police arrestations.

EP delegation meets with NGO representatives from developing countries

SOUNDBITE (English), Peter LIESE (EPP, DE), We had very good, very impressive talks, but also some disappointments. I was very encouraged by the United States. They are back. They have a commitment to be climate neutral.

SOUNDBITE (English), Peter LIESE (EPP, DE), And I was even more impressed by South Africa. You know, South Africa is a poor country, an emerging country. And you could compare it more with India than with Europe. But still, they have the same climate neutrality target as we have in the European Union. So this shows that it's the way to go and others should take an example for South Africa. 

SOUNDBITE (English), Peter LIESE (EPP, DE),  The big disappointment was China. You know, we had the Chinese representative telling us that they cannot be carbon neutral. That is not even climate neutral before 2060 because they only peak in 2030. I think that is a big problem. China is the biggest emitter and we will not achieve the Paris targets if we are not successful with China.

SOUNDBITE (English), Peter LIESE (EPP, DE), The draft that we have seen is rather disappointing. So the European Union, especially the Parliament, would like to have much more ambition. But it's important that we have progress and that the world is now committed really to do the necessary actions. So we hope for a good outcome. And we already know that it will not be the perfect outcome. We need to continue.

SOUNDBITE (English), Peter LIESE (EPP, DE), And also, the European Union needs to continue to do measures inside Europe, but also to do measures that invite and encourage other economies to join. 

SOUNDBITE (English), Peter LIESE (EPP, DE), We are much better than before. It's no longer 2,7&deg;, but maybe 2,2&deg;. But it is still too much. When we doesn't reach at least below two degrees and closer to 1.5, the likelihood to reach dangerous tipping points is very, very high. So there's much more work to be done.

SOUNDBITE (English), Peter LIESE (EPP, DE), When it comes to the short term targets and the implementation. We are far away from what is necessary and there will be much more work to be done. And on top of that, developing countries have a legitimate point and they say they are suffering from climate change and they didn't really contribute. They have a reason to say we need help for these people that lose their home, and that is the issue of adaptation, but also loss and damage. And this will be a big point for the next COP that will take place in Egypt. 