EU welcomes action by US, China and wants “Paris alliance” ahead of 2015

LIMA, Peru 7 December 2014 (ClimDev-Africa) – The European Union delegation present in Peru for the ongoing global climate talks is upbeat about a positive Lima outcome that will pave the way for an agreement that would be acceptable to all in Paris next year.

In a statement released on 6 Dec 2014, it welcomes action by US and China and calls for an effective “Paris alliance” ahead of 2015.

“Until now the US and China have been blocking the way, but it seems that they have started taking climate change more seriously”, says the statement by EU Parliament.

Calling them the “world’s biggest polluters”, EU delegation vice-chair, Jo Leinen, states in the release that the contribution of US and China would be very crucial for a responsible and ambitious climate policy from Paris 2015.

He says, nevertheless, that the EU must remain in the front line and broker the best possible deal. This summit and the Paris summit of next year will test the EU diplomacy on building a sort of “Paris alliance” for a legally binding climate deal that should be established to guarantee success, Mr. Jo Linen added.

The EU delegation, made up of Members of European Parliament (MEPs) chaired by Giovanni La Via, will be here in Lima from 8 to 12 December 2014, to convince all parties to move towards implementing an ambitious climate policy, the statement adds.

The press release recalls the decision the European Parliament voted last month reiterating its determination  to getting the world on track for a below 2 degree Celcius climate warming scenario.

It had also called for raising European contributions to the Green Climate Fund and promises that the EU will try to convince all Parties and other stakeholders to agree and take actions for an ambitious climate policy, not just to save the planet but also for creating jobs and fostering sustainable growth.

On 5 Dec 2014, the EU along with Canada, the US, New Zealand and Australia infuriated delegates from developing countries by deleting detailed references in the draft text related to a review or a revisiting of their existing commitments in the pre-2020 period, saying it was covered in the Warsaw agreement.

(Issued by ClimDev-Africa)