COP21 climate-change talks: MEPs in Paris to push for 2°C target

During the week, delegation MEPs will meet, among others, UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Chairman Hoesung Lee, UN Environment Programme (UNEP) Executive Director Achim Steiner, and Green Climate Fund (GCF) Executive Director Hela Cheikhrouhou.  They will talk to key negotiators and meet counterparts from other parliaments, as well as local and international NGOs, industrial stakeholders, International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and International Maritime Organization (IMO) representatives.

"In Paris, our challenge will be to help build trust between all Parties. We all need this agreement to happen, but not any agreement,” said Environment Committee Chairman Giovanni La Via (EPP, IT). “First and foremost, the 2-degree target. We want to ensure that the agreement will be binding, with a review clause every five years, allowing us to raise our ambition over time”, he said.

“The European Union must not be the only one to implement high standards for companies. Efforts must be shared by all, if needed by helping other countries get access to cleaner technologies more quickly,” he continued.

"Also, finance will once again be the deal maker – or the deal killer. For us, climate finance should be dealt with as a dynamic element, and reflect changing environmental and economic realities. All parties who are in a position to do so should contribute, under a robust monitoring framework”, he concluded..

“Europe is facing an uphill struggle” said Delegation Vice-Chair Matthias Groote (S&D, DE). “Worldwide, we are already facing some 20 million refugees and there are more to come. An Oxford University study estimates that up to 200 million climate refugees will be on the move by 2050. We have to act together now. Consistency of action and strong policies are paramount”, he said.
“By further strengthening the Emissions Trading System (ETS) through the introduction of instruments like the backloading of allowances and the Market Stability Reserve, the European Parliament sent a clear message ahead of the COP21 climate negotiations in Paris”, he added.

Press conference, European Parliament side event

Delegation Chairman Giovanni La Via held a joint press conference with EU Climate and Energy Commissioner Miguel Arias Cañete on 9 December at 11h30.

Delegation members

1. Mr Giovanni LA VIA (EPP, IT) Chair
2. Mr Matthias GROOTE (S&D, DE) Vice-Chair
3. Mr Karl-HEINZ FLORENZ (EPP, DE)
4. Ms Françoise GROSSETÊTE (EPP, FR)
5. Mr Seán KELLY (EPP, IE)
6. Ms Kathleen VAN BREMPT (S&D, BE)
7. Mr Gilles PARGNEAUX (S&D, FR)
8. Ms Miriam DALLI (S&D, MT)
9. Mr Ian DUNCAN (ECR, UK)
10. Mr Bolesław PIECHA (ECR, PL)
11. Mr Gerben-Jan GERBRANDY (ALDE, NL)
12. Ms Anne-Marie MINEUR (GUE/NGL, NL)
13. Mr Yannick JADOT (GREENS/EFA, FR)
14. Mr Marco AFFRONTE (EFDD, IT)
15. Ms Sylvie GODDYN (ENF, FR)