EU VP nominee backs goal to cut CO2 by ‘at least 55% by 2030’

(Climate Change News, 9 Oct 2019) Frans Timmermans, who would oversee climate efforts, laid out his vision for every EU policy to be aligned with its carbon reduction targets

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The politician set to run Europe’s climate policy said on Tuesday said he would be “extremely surprised” if the new commission does not decide emissions need to be cut “by at least 55% by 2030”.

To do that and achieve climate-neutrality by 2050, nominee executive vice president Frans Timmermans told lawmakers, all European policy must take into account their climate impacts.

A social democrat and former Dutch minister, Timmermans has been tasked by EU Commission president-elect Ursula Von der Leyen to develop a “European green deal” over the next five years, in a major elevation of the climate portfolio to one of the three executive vice presidents.

From emissions reductions to air and water quality, pesticides and micro-plastics, food production, and biodiversity, energy efficiency and transport  – Timmermans set-out the scope of the deal, which he said will “improves lives” while putting the bloc on track to decarbonisation.

“The green deal will only be successful if all Europeans are part of it,” he said, adding that “fairness” needed to be put at the heart of all policies.

Opening the hearing in Strasbourg, the chair of the European parliament’s environment committee, French centrist MEP Pascal Canfin, said Timmermans would be responsible for two thirds of the EU budget.

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Climate Change News, 9 Oct 2019: EU VP nominee backs goal to cut CO2 by ‘at least 55% by 2030’