As world leaders get together in Paris for the opening of the UN Paris Climate summit (COP21), the Socialists and Democrats call for them to live up to their responsibilities and push for legally binding and ambitious emission-reduction targets, as well as solid financing for mitigation and adaptation efforts.
On 21 October Socialist, Social-Democrat and Labour leaders met in Paris to officially adopt their proposals for the COP21 (read the 21 progressive proposals here).
S&D president Gianni Pittella MEP said:
"This planet is our shared – and only – home and there is no other option but to save it. Global public opinion is massively in favour of action and decision-makers must deliver. We must reach a binding agreement where industrialised, emerging and developing countries work together for the common good of humanity and share the burden and the responsibility. Selfishness and cynical political calculation are not permitted.
"The scientific community has already provided enough scientific evidence: we cannot afford to let global temperatures rise over 2 degrees. Tomorrow it will be already too late. Now is the time for action!"
S&D vice-president Kathleen Van Brempt MEP added:
"We want to see the EU acting as a credible leader on global climate action. Our fight against climate change goes hand in hand with our ongoing battle against social inequalities worldwide. We invite other parties present in Paris to join us in this fight, to stop global warming and to eliminate the injustices it causes.
"A global deal in Paris can step up a new sustainable investment cycle in Europe. Investing in research and development, renewable energy and energy efficiency – rather than spending money on importing fossil fuels – will not only benefit trade, climate and air quality. It will also create additional jobs and develop new technologies that can be exported. New technologies will make it possible to permanently end the carbon era. Not because we would run out of coal, natural gas or oil, but because there are cleaner and cheaper alternatives. After all, the Stone Age did not end because humans ran out of stones."
MEPs Kathleen Van Brempt, Matthias Groote, Gilles Pargneaux and Miriam Dalli will be part of the European Parliament’s delegation to the COP21, arriving in Paris on 7 December.
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