The European Union (EU) pledged today at the climate conference in Egypt to raise its climate ambitions and achieve a 57 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030.
The EU-27’s emission reduction is expected to reach “at least 57%” by 2030, compared to a previously declared target of at least 55%, said European Commission Vice-President Frans Timmermans, quoted by the French agency AFP.
The announcement was made in a speech by Frans Timmermans at the 27th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, called COP27, taking place in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt.
“We are firmly on track to finalize all legislation in order to implement our climate targets by the end of the year,” said the Dutch politician, who is responsible for the European Green Deal.
Timmermans highlighted recent agreements on distributing greenhouse gas emission cuts among EU member states, on carbon capture targets for soils and forests and on ending the use of internal combustion vehicles.
“Don’t let them tell you that the Russian invasion of Ukraine is killing the European Green Pact and that we are in a gas rush,” he added, referring to the search for new sources of supply for Europe to stop being dependent on Russian gas. .
COP27, taking place since November 6, brings together political decision-makers, academics and non-governmental organizations to try to stop global warming, limiting global warming to 2ºC (degrees celsius), and if possible to 1.5ºC, above pre-industrial times.
The conference ends on Friday.
*With Lusa
