Delivering on EU’s Climate Leadership: Highlights
Following our list of six things we are expecting from EU decision makers on climate before the summer, in this post we will gather the latest developments on EU’s climate leadership in the summer of 2018 and highlight why they matter.
Recent highlights:
- 1) EU and China publish a joint statement on climate and energy, vowing to increase cooperation on emissions trading and clean energy and to reduce shipping and aviation emissions
- 2) Netherlands proposes an ambitious new climate law with the goal to cut emissions by 95% by 2050, with a sub-target for 49% by 2030
- 3) EU agrees new renewable energy and energy efficiency targets for 2030. It is now set to go well beyond 40% GHG cuts by 2030, which is an important contribution to a solid negotiation position for COP24
Monday 16 July
EU and China promise more cooperation on climate action
In a joint statement made at the 20th EU-China Summit in Beijing, the two parties reaffirmed their commitment to the Paris Agreement and vowed to increase cooperation in a number of fields, including on:
– Mid-century GHG emission development strategies: The two powers agreed to hold regular technical dialogues on mitigation and adaptation solutions, capacity-building and climate legislation.
– Enhancing bilateral cooperation on emissions trading systems
– Reinforcing cooperation in ICAO and in the IMO to ensure that aviation and shipping contribute to combating climate change
– Working more closely together on energy efficiency, clean energy, low-emission transport and a range of other topics
The statement itself is similar to the one planned to be released at the EU-China summit in Brussels last year. In the end, last year’s statement was never formally released due to disagreements over trade issues.
As we argue in this Climate Home op-ed, climate action is now enshrined at the centre of the EU-China relationship, and the agreement signals a significant deepening of cooperation. If realised, the expanded bilateral cooperation has the potential to spur not only environmental but also economic and political benefits for the EU and China, as well as creating momentum at international climate negotiation level.
Wednesday 27 June
Netherlands to cut 95% of emissions by 2050
A group of seven Dutch political parties announced a proposal for a new national climate law in the Netherlands. The law sets the following targets:
- Greenhouse gas emission reduction target of 95% for 2050 (compared to 1990)
- Greenhouse gas emission reduction target of 49% for 2030 (compared to 1990)
- 100% carbon neutral electricity in 2050
The proposal also includes a review process: as of 2019, successive future Dutch governments will be obliged to present updated climate plans every 5 years.
The draft law will now have to be agreed formally in the Dutch parliament, where the parties backing the law have a clear majority (113 of 150 seats). Once adopted (expected in 2019), the law will be one of the most ambitious climate laws in Europe and globally.
Monday 25 June
EU countries say 2050 strategy should include net-zero pathway
14 EU environment ministers published a joint statement on the EU mid-century strategy, highlighting that its pathways are going to provide the analysis of what an adequate 2030 climate target looks like. This is going to be instrumental to decide how an updated EU pledge to the Paris Agreement can look like. Here is the specific wording:
This new strategy should be based on the latest available science, especially the next special IPCC report on 1.5°C. To inform the discussion, the proposal should consider several pathways for reducing GHG emissions towards carbon neutrality in compliance with the long-term objectives of the Paris Agreement, including a 1.5°C scenario and at least one pathway towards net zero GHG emissions in the EU by 2050 followed by negative emissions thereafter.
Therefore, the signatories ask the European Commission to take stock before COP 24 of the impact of the additional efforts that have been provided, or will be, by these sector-specific policies, on the EU 2030 target and on the total amount of GHG emissions reductions in the EU up to 2030. Based on the results of this assessment, the EU should consider announcing at COP 24 its readiness to update its NDC by 2020 taking into account of the collective further effort needed to meet the objectives of the Paris Agreement, (…).
It will be key to ensure that the countries are walking the talk at home as well, when drafting or reviewing their national long-term strategies. In addition, this alliance has to potential to keep on growing over the next months in the run-up to COP24 in Katowice.
Friday 22 June
EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Federica Mogherini hosted a high-level event on climate and security, where ministers, leading international figures, parliamentarians and civil society will discuss EU action on security risks caused by climate change.
At the event, Mogherini warned that climate change is now displacing more people than wars:
“Here in Europe experience tells us peace and security is not only about peace treaties or defence budgets — peace has to be sustainable over time — and sustainable peace requites jobs, decent access to national resources and sustainable development. Sustainable peace and security needs climate action. This is the message today. When we invest in the fight against climate change we invest in security.
She added:
“Last year natural disasters have displaced almost 19 million people around the world and for the second year in a row climate impacts have displaced more people than war.”
Ahead of the event, US think tank Center for Climate & Security published a set of recommendations for how EU institutions can prepare for climate security risks.
At the Petersberg Dialogue in Berlin on Tuesday, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Germany will make make the security aspects of climate change a priority for its two-year term as non-permanent member in the United Nations Security Council.
Thursday, 21 June
Cañete to ask EU governments about higher emissions reduction goal on Monday
EU Commissioner for Climate Action Miguel Arias Cañete told Politico [paywall] on Thursday he will begin talks with EU environment ministers next week about raising the EU’s climate target for 2030(NDC), following agreement on new EU-wide clean energy targets this week. Cañete will consult with ministers at the Environment Council meeting in Luxembourg on Monday, 25 June.
MoCA ends with call to conclude Paris Agreement rules at COP24
The Chairs’ Summary from the Ministerial on Climate Action by the EU, China and Canada was above all a reaffirmation of multilateralism, stressing the irreversibility of the Paris Agreement and the value of a rules-based approach.
In line with this focus on international cooperation, ministers also emphasized the importance of honouring commitments to provide climate finance to help developing countries unlock additional climate action. On the Talanoa Dialogue, ministers stressed the need to come prepared to individually and collectively enhance ambition but failed to outline the political arc towards the UNSG summit made by some of the same countries in the Declaration of Ambition earlier that day.
Following MoCA, we look to ministers to carry this momentum and commitment to the spirit of Paris back to their countries. They now face the task of instructing their negotiators in such a way that allows them to walk the fine but ambitious line at the heart of the Paris Agreement at the coming September negotiations in Bangkok.
The Marshall Islands, along with 22 countries and counting release a Declaration of Ambition alongside today’s Ministerial on Climate Action (MoCA).
Signatories — including Eu member states Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom — commit to explore possibilities for stepping up their own ambition in light of the upcoming IPCC Special Report on 1.5 , underscored the importance of adopting a strong Paris rulebook at COP24 that unlocks the full potential of the Agreement, and identify the UN Secretary General’s Climate Summit in September 2019 as the biggest opportunity to raise global ambition by 2020.
The President of the Republic of the Marshall Islands, H.E. Dr. Hilda C. Heine, said:
If we do not raise global ambition by 2020, it will be too late for my island nation. This means increasing the targets we set before we agreed the Paris Agreement in 2015 — as the Marshall Islands has already committed to do. We also need to set clear pathways to reach net zero emissions at the latest by 2050 — our own 2050 Strategy will be finalized this year.
Wednesday, 20 June
Cañete in MoCA opening speech: New energy targets means over 45% GHG emissions reductions by 2030
“Both new targets would de facto mean that the European Union would be in a position to raise the level of ambition of the NDC and increase its emissions reduction target from the current 40% to slightly over 45% by 2030.” [recording]
The question is therefore no longer whether the EU can raise its NDC, but by how much, as a 45% target would not be sufficient to put the EU on a Paris-compatible track for 2030. To be in line with Paris goals, the EU would need to move towards the 55% target recently proposed by the Netherlands.
Ecofys analysis shows 32% RES and 32.5% lead to 46.5% GHG emissions by 2030
With a stronger RES target (32%) and efficiency target (32.5%) now agreed, the EU is now set to go well beyond 40% GHG cuts by 2030.
The new targets alone should get us to nearly 45%. Factor in accelerated coal phaseout in many EU countries, and the number could be even higher.
Tuesday, 19 June
What a day: 9th Petersberg Climate Dialogue, German-French Summit at Meseberg, final trilogues on Energy Efficiency Directive and EU Governance Regulations; it’s been a long day so let’s make sure you didn’t miss anything until the 4:40am tweet by Claude Turmes.
EU institutions agree on rules how to achieve the energy targets by 2030 and set EU on firm path to present what Paris Agreement means for EU long-term targets
The European Parliament and the Council reached an agreement on Energy Union Governance early Wednesday morning. This regulation sets out new accountability rules for member states in energy matters after 2020 and brings home some of the requirements of the Paris Agreement on climate change. The agreed text also requires the EU to plan for a net zero 2050 scenario and countries’ national plans to look at how to move to a balance of sources and sinks as early as possible.
EU agrees on indicative 32.5% energy efficiency target for 2030
Negotiators from the European Parliament and the Council struck a deal on the Energy Efficiency Directive on Tuesday night, agreeing on a headline savings target of 32.5% by 2030.
Put together with the agreement on the Renewable Energy Directive agreed last week, the EU now has EU-wide 2030 targets for both renewable energy and energy efficiency.
After initial opposition to higher targets, German minister Peter Altmaier sends congratulations on the outcome.
France and Germany to push EU to upgrade ambition over next months in the Meseberg Declaration:
- To develop an EU strategy 2050 for the long-term transformation towards carbon neutrality, which is not only a necessity, but also an economic opportunity.
- To make sure that the EU take new commitments at COP24 to update its NDC by early 2020 taking into account possible sectoral emissions reductions enabled by current or coming agreements at the EU level.
- To set up a joint interministerial High Level Working Group on climate change to intensify cooperation in this cross-cutting field and build up common views on energy transition and tools for triggering sustainable finance and economic incentives, including carbon pricing issues.
Informal talks at the 9th Petersberg Climate Dialogue wrap up
Ministers reaffirmed their commitment to complete the Paris Agreement Work Programme at COP24 in Katowice this December. Chancellor Merkel reconfirmed that Germany will double its climate finance by 2020.
