During the plenary session (21-24/10/2019) of the European Parliament in Strasbourg, MEPs debate on climate and ecological emergency. Statements by Karima DELLI (Greens/EFA, FR), Tytti TUPPURAINEN, Finnish Minister for European Affairs, and Günther OETTINGER, Member of the EC in charge of Budget and Human Resources.

Strasbourg

debate

plenary session

environmental protection (T)

OETTINGER, Günther (DE, EC)

DELLI, Karima (Greens/EFA, FR)

fight against climate change (T)

TUPPURAINEN, Tytti (FI)

Climate and ecological emergency: extracts from the debate and illustrative shots

SOUNDBITE (English), Karima DELLI (Greens/EFA, FR), Author, Sea level continues to rise at an increasing rate, extreme sea level events that usually happen once per century are projected to occur at least once per year until 2050 and on many different locations, wildfire is projected to increase significantly for the rest of the century. These are not my statements. These are just a few of the stark conclusions that the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change of the United Nations presented in its latest report.

SOUNDBITE (English), Karima DELLI (Greens/EFA, FR), Author, We are calling for a new approach on how to address the climate emergency we are facing. Because climate emergency, it is. However, stating that this is an emergency is not enough. Because if your house is on fire, you do not just press the alarm button and sit around waiting. You make sure that the fire brigade is coming and that the fire is extinguished.

SOUNDBITE (English), Karima DELLI (Greens/EFA, FR), Author, That is why we want to start working now on a long term economic, social and environmental plan with ambitious legislative proposals backed by sufficient financial investments and proper enforcement.

SOUNDBITE (English), Tytti TUPPURAINEN, Finnish Minister for European Affairs, Scientific evidence shows that human induced global warming has already reached 1 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels and is increasing at 0,2 degrees Celsius per decade. Without stepping up international climate action, the global average temperature increase could reach 2 degrees Celsius soon after 2060 and continue to rise afterwards.

SOUNDBITE (English), Tytti TUPPURAINEN, Finnish Minister for European Affairs, We know that the policies that the EU has in place today will not be enough when we consider the scale of reductions needed in order to reach the long term temperature goals of the agreement. Therefore, rapid and far reaching economic and societal transformation will be required in the coming decades.

SOUNDBITE (English), Tytti TUPPURAINEN, Finnish Minister for European Affairs, Most member states agree with the objective of climate neutrality in the EU by 2050, and several member states have already set national targets contributing to that goal. We are continuing to work towards an agreement that all member states can sign up to and look forward to The European Council finalizing its guidance on the EU's climat neutral vision before the end of the end of 2019.

SOUNDBITE (German), G&#252;nther OETTINGER, Member of the EC in charge of Budget and Human Resources, What are the possible tools that the Commission suggests to you?

SOUNDBITE (German), G&uuml;nther OETTINGER, Member of the EC in charge of Budget and Human Resources, We rely on modern technologies that accelerate energy efficiency, bind emissions and thus make an important contribution. Horizon Europe is a very, very decisive program for this. Secondly, we insist that there will be a continuation of the ETS system in the future and, if necessary, the removal of quantities and thus an increase in the price per ton.

SOUNDBITE (German), G&uuml;nther OETTINGER, Member of the EC in charge of Budget and Human Resources, Since Europe accounts for only about nine percent of all global greenhouse gases and their emissions, a trade agreement with other partners and a joint emission reduction makes a lot of sense.

SOUNDBITE (German), G&uuml;nther OETTINGER, Member of the EC in charge of Budget and Human Resources, The Green Deal, the Commission proposal by Von der Leyen and Timmermans will provide a concrete basis for their deliberations. I am sure that this will allow us to continue the course of the old Commission of the last Parliament and perhaps maintain the direction but speed up.

Illustrative shots: forest fires, 2 shots

Illustrative shots: extinction rebellion demonstration, London, 5 shots

Fridays for the future, climate protest with Greta THUNBERG, 3 shots