Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1364335
10 EUROPE 22.4.2021 DAVID LINDSAY THE European Parliament's negotiators on the EU's new climate agreement this morning welcomed what they labelled a "historic, game-changing" accord struck in the early hours of the morning, after 14 hours of gruelling tri-partite negoti- ations. ey have, however, bemoaned the fact that that they had wanted to go fur- ther than the resulting 55% net reduc- tion in greenhouse gas emissions to be achieved by 2030. With the agreement, the EU's pledge to become the first climate-neutral con- tinent by 2050 will now become a legal- ly-binding commitment. e deal will see the EU commit to an intermediate reduction in greenhouse gas emissions target of "at least 55 per cent" over 1990 levels.. And it was that 'at least 55 per cent' pre-existing text that had apparently proved to be the main sticking point during negotiations. Rapporteur Jytte Guteland and Com- mittee on Environment, Public Health and Food Safety Chair on EU Climate Law Pascal Canfin both stressed how Parliament had wanted more out of the reduction target and both appeared somewhat exasperated, and somewhat worse for wear, following a night of in- tense negotiations. e EU's 2030 target had originally provided for a 40 per cent 2030 green- house gas emission reduction, but that had been raised to 55 per cent follow- ing recent public pressure on climate change. Parliament, however, had been aiming for a 60 per cent target. Speaking yesterday morning, Can- fin said negotiators had been bound by the 55 per cent limitation since it had been impossible to formally change the mandate received from the Council and as such, there had been "no space to change the '55 per cent' wording. "As Parliament," he said, "we could not accept that, as it was simply not enough. But there was this political deal to not formally touch the 55% net figure. It was technical and complicated, and it took all night." e eventual deal, Canfin told a press conference, was to work "within the 'at least 55%' wording, but at the same time work out a way, when calculating the net, to be able to move from 55 to 'close to 57%' as we are saying". Guteland, meanwhile, confirmed that Parliament had been seeking a higher reduction target than that achieved in the end, but said she feels "we have se- cured a deal that will not have loopholes allowing for lower reduction targets, and we have actually increased those targets over the Commission's proposal". US President Joe Biden is about to un- veil a massive climate plan at a virtual summit of 40 world leaders this week, leading to questions, considering the timing of the announcement, on wheth- er the EU was engaging in a one-upman- ship battle with the US on taking the global lead on climate change. According to Guteland, the EU is more than ready and willing for the challenge. "We are confident that we are tak- ing the global lead in tackling climate change. We have done our utmost and this law will only grow from strength to strength. We are not only doing what we said we would a year ago, but we are improving on it. "e US is not our Big Brother when it comes to climate change. We are the Big Brother, or the Big Sister, on this and the US will mow need to deliver when they see what we have done. ere is no doubt about that. "e EU must now reduce emissions more in the next decade than we have in the previous three decades put together, and we have new and more ambitious ground to stand on that can encourage more countries to step up. "is is exactly the kind of leadership the world needs right now and we can do it." MEP negotiators welcome 'historic' climate agreement, but say they wanted more These articles are part of a content series called Ewropej. This is a multi-newsroom initiative part-funded by the European Parliament to bring the work of the EP closer to the citizens of Malta and keep them informed about matters that affect their daily lives. These articles reflect only the authors' view. The European Parliament is not responsible for any use that may be made of the information it contains. Rapporteur Jytte Guteland and Committee on Environment, Public Health and Food Safety Chair on EU Climate Law Pascal Canfin