APD | European parliament urges for carbon neutrality by 2050

**By APD writer **Aditya Nugraha

**BRUSSELS, Nov. 7 (APD) **

The European Parliament’s Environment Committee approved a resolution that calls the EU to submit its long-term strategy to reach climate neutrality at the latest by 2050 to the UN Convention on Climate Change (COP25) as soon as possible.

The resolution agreed prior to the COP25 slated for December in Madrid urges the EU to commit to zero CO2 emissions by 2050 at the UN Conference and step up its emissions' reduction ambition for 2030.

By doing so, the committee said that it would maintain EU’s world leadership in the fight against climate change.

“We reaffirmed today in the European Parliament's Environment Committee that we want Europe to be serious about the fight against climate change,” the committee’s chair Pascal Canfin said Wednesday.

The momentum to do so is favorable with confirmation of the United States’ exit from Paris Agreement, he added.

The European Commission has already proposed the goal of net-zero emissions by 2050, but the European Council has still not endorsed it due to oppositions of some countries.

Members of European parliament highlighted the need for the EU to raise its ambition level for 2030 in order to reach the 2050 target.

They expected the 'European Green Deal' announced by Commission President-elect Ursula Von Der Leyen to include a target of 55 percent emissions reductions by 2030.

The committee also urged EU countries to at least double their contributions to the international Green Climate Fund. The committee noted that actual pledges by developed countries still fall short of the collective goal of mobilizing US$ 100 billion as of 2020.

The committee resolution also called on EU countries to phase out all direct and indirect fossil fuel subsidies by 2020 and on the European Investment Bank to end lending to fossil fuel projects except for gas when used in combination with renewables.

Global action made during the next 10 years will impact the future of humanity for the next 10,000 years, the committee said.

(ASIA PACIFIC DAILY)