CO2 emissions: the European Parliament adopts an ambitious climate strategy

Frans Timmermans in charge of the Green Deal at the European Commission, October 6, 2020 in Brussels.

Olivier HOSLET / POOL / AFP

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The European Parliament approved its climate strategy on Thursday 8 October by a large majority, paving the way for negotiations with the Member States that MEPs want to push to tighten their targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

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Parliament's text on the European climate law was adopted on Thursday by 392 votes in favor, 161 against and 142 abstentions.

It includes a target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by at least 60% by 2030, whereas the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, had proposed 55% in mid-September.

Worried about the impact on employment, the European People's Party (EPP, right), pleaded not to go beyond the figure of the Commission, and had called for abstention.

Social Democrat Frans Timmermans, in charge of the Green Deal at the Commission, welcomed the vote of MEPs.

"

 With its vote on the climate law, the European Parliament sends a strong message on the need to be ambitious in the resolution of the climate crisis 

", he wrote on Twitter.

With its vote on the #ClimateLaw, the EP sends a strong message about the need for ambition in tackling the climate crisis.

Once Council has set its position, we should be able to quickly decide on putting climate neutrality by 2050 into law.

That's European leadership.

  Frans Timmermans (@TimmermansEU) October 8, 2020

The new legislation aims to place in a binding framework the political promise to achieve climate neutrality in Europe by 2050 

", explained the Parliament in a press release.

As a first step, member states will have to vote on the executive's proposal before entering into negotiations with Parliament.

Once the Council has defined its position, we should be able to quickly turn climate neutrality into law by 2050

 ", said Frans Timmermans.

(With AFP)

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