International. The European Parliament adopted a resolution declaring a "climate and environmental emergency" in Europe and globally, which was presented to the UN summit on climate change being held in Madrid from 2 to 13 December.
The text also calls on the European Commission to ensure that all its legislative and budgetary proposals take into account the objective of limiting global warming to a maximum of 1.5°C.
In a second resolution, the House urges the EU to present its strategy to achieve emissions neutrality as soon as possible, and by 2050 at the latest, to the UN Convention on Climate Change. MEPs are also calling on the new president of the European Commission, Ursula Von der Leyen, to include a 55% greenhouse gas emissions reduction target by 2030 in the European Green Deal.
Several countries, local administrations and scientists have already declared that the planet is facing a climate emergency.
As for the target of achieving a net zero emissions balance by 2050, the European Commission has already put forward a proposal to that effect, but the European Council has not endorsed it in the face of rejection by Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic.
Stepping up the reduction of emissions from shipping and aviation
Parliament considers that the current targets for cutting emissions in the maritime transport and aviation sectors are unambitious. In his view, all countries should include these sectors in their national contribution plans (NDCs). MEPs also raise the inclusion of the maritime sector in the European emissions trading system.
More financial support for the global fight against climate change
EU countries should at least double their contributions to the Climate Change Fund, the EP says. Member States are the main providers of public climate finance and the EU budget should be aligned with their international commitments.
MEPs also warn that the commitments announced by developed countries do not reach the collective target of 100,000 million dollars per year from 2020.
Finally, they urgently call on all EU countries to phase out all direct and indirect fossil fuel subsidies by 2020.
Result of the votes
The resolution declaring a climate and environmental emergency was adopted with 429 votes in favour, 225 against and 19 abstentions. The text on the Madrid climate summit received the support of 430 MEPs, 190 voted against and 34 abstained.
Source: European Parliament.
