Everyone should live up to the Paris climate agreement, say leading S&Ds

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Everyone should live up to the Paris climate agreement, say leading S&Ds

S&D - Socialists and Democrats

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Date

04 Oct 2017

Links

Press release on S&D website

Sections

Climate & Environment

Strasbourg, 4 October 2017

Today the European Parliament adopted a resolution calling for the full implementation of the agreement reached in Paris, ahead of the next UN climate summit. The Conference of the Parties (COP23) will take place in Bonn between 6 and 17 November and the S&Ds want the EU to keep the pressure on the international community to make sure that the measures agreed are implemented.

Kathleen Van Brempt, S&D vice-president responsible for sustainable development, said:

"If we want to avoid the acceleration of further uncontrollable climate disruption, we must stay strongly committed to the full implementation of the Paris Agreement. We must be clear that this agreement is irreversible and will not be renegotiated. This clarity and certainty for all players is crucial in order to build trust and help reinforce confidence in the global commitment to climate action.

"Parties will have to do more, not less. The EU also has to raise its ambitions. Let us not forget that our 40% reduction target dates from before Paris. If Europe wants to be a leader, we must lead by example and practise what we preach. The Facilitative Dialogue in 2018 is an excellent opportunity to announce our raised ambitions."

Gilles Pargneaux, S&D spokesperson on this issue, added:

"The impact of climate change on migration can no longer be ignored. According to the UN, environmental changes will lead to the forced displacement of 250 million people by 2050. For this reason, the S&D Group is calling for international recognition for the status of 'climate refugees'.

"For the S&D Group, the content of this resolution should serve as a guide for the G20 nations and the European Union. The G20 nations must raise their contributions and the European Union must put the Paris Agreement into effect in European legislation and develop a European strategy to achieve carbon-neutral status by the middle of the century.

"In this resolution, the S&D Group has called for a financial commitment from developed countries to provide $100 billion to developing countries each year. The latest report from the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) estimates that public and private funding could reach between $77 and 133 billion."