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‘You can’t negotiate with nature’: this is how Thunberg reacts to the EU climate target
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Von der Leyen calls for a health union and higher climate goals
The President of the EU Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, speaks clear words in her first speech on the state of the EU. Von der Leyen proposes a European health union. In addition, she would like to significantly increase climate targets.
Ursula von der Leyen wants to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the European Union by at least 55 percent below the 1990 level by 2030. Greta Thunberg reacts critically to the EU’s climate target, as do the business associations.
reClimate activist Greta Thunberg reacted critically to Commission Director Ursula von der Leyen’s proposal for a more ambitious EU climate target. For scientists and those who believe that the promises of the Paris World Climate Agreement must be kept, the proposal is not enough, the Swede wrote on Twitter Wednesday night. For corporations and lobbyists in the fossil fuel industry, however, the target is too high.
The 17-year-old responded to a tweet in which von der Leyen said that reducing emissions by at least 55 percent by 2030 would be “too much for some and not enough for others.” “Our economy could do it, but ecosystems could not. And we cannot negotiate with nature, ”Thunberg said.
With his proposal for a more ambitious EU climate target, von der Leyen had already sparked opposition, both from environmentalists and business. On Wednesday, he officially proposed to cut greenhouse gas emissions in the European Union by at least 55 percent below the 1990 level by 2030, instead of the 40 percent previously forecast. Business associations warned against excessive lawsuits. Climate activists, however, criticized the announcement as a sham.
Because the new goal – unlike before – includes the capture of carbon dioxide by forests and soils, not only the German Environmental Aid complained. That weakens the new target by 2.5 percent. The environmental association spoke of a sleight of hand. Similar criticisms came from the SPD and from the left in the European Parliament.
Last year von der Leyen had mentioned a range of 50 to 55 percent for the new climate target. For a few days it became clear that he now wants to go to the high end with “at least 55 percent.” He made the proposal officially in his State of the European Union address. Negotiations with the EU states and the European Parliament are pending before a decision is made. Germany is the mediator in this, as it is the president of the 27 EU countries.
The German government officially accepted von der Leyen’s proposal and wants to examine it. In the European Parliament, among others, the Greens are pushing for even higher targets. The environmental committee recently asked for minus 60 percent. The CDU and CSU, on the other hand, tend to slow down. The right-wing conservative group EKR and the right-wing extremist ID consider von der Leyen’s proposal absurd.
The head of the commission said she knew this increase in the savings target was too much for some and not enough for others. But from her point of view, this new goal is ambitious, achievable and good for Europe. An accurate impact assessment by the EU Commission showed that companies and industry could cope with the tightening. This analysis will be published on Thursday.
German industry warns
The new goal would mean significant additional efforts in climate protection. According to the EU Commission, a reduction of around 25 percent was achieved in the 29 years from 1990 to 2019. Only ten years remain until the new goal. Von der Leyen emphasized that the necessary technical means are now available.
However, German industry doubts that the goal can be achieved economically. “By raising the targets, companies in Germany must now expect much higher CO2 costs and stricter requirements,” warned the German Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The Federation of German Industries spoke of “enormous challenges with an uncertain outcome”. The Automotive Industry Association said the new climate targets would have an impact on competitiveness, growth and jobs.
Automakers are likely to face new, stricter CO2 limits. In addition, according to the plans of the EU Commission, the traffic will be included in emissions trading. At the same time, huge sums of money must be invested in industry conversion and energy supply, as well as in home renovation. The Commission places the increase in investment at 350,000 million euros per year compared to the last ten years.
For climate change, von der Leyen wants to use the Corona reconstruction program in the amount of 750 billion euros. 30% of this sum, which the EU wants to finance through joint debts, will be obtained from “green bonds”, announced the head of the Commission.
European money should be invested mainly in lighthouse projects with the highest possible impact, including hydrogen, home renovations and a million charging stations for electric vehicles. Von der Leyen spoke of the “European valleys of hydrogen” to modernize the industry and develop new fuels for vehicles.
A wave of renovations is needed for buildings, which today account for 40 percent of greenhouse gas emissions. “That is why we will build a new European Bauhaus, a space in which architects, artists, students, engineers and designers work together creatively to achieve this goal,” emphasized von der Leyen.
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