As a member of the official European Parliament’s delegation to the climate conference COP21, there is one question that I am posing to myself on the eve of this very important conference: are we prepared for the costs of climate change?
My answer would be no, we are not prepared as yet and we may not even be aware of the true medium- and long-term impacts. Climate change will bring with it enormous costs for our planet - environmental, societal and economic costs.
In just over a month, Malta and virtually every other country on our planet will gather in Paris with the aim of reaching an ambitious, universal and legally-binding climate agreement. A strong deal emanating from Paris would transform the global energy economy and help deter the worst effects of climate change.
If Paris is successful then the world would have managed to reach a new level of partnership: government leaders from every region, working constructively alongside the private sector and civil society to address an enormous challenge that no one nation or region is capable of solving alone.
The agreement, which the UN expects to conclude in Paris, will not solve climate change immediately because greenhouse gases already exist in the atmosphere and will remain for years to come. What will happen in Paris though, can be the first decisive step towards managing the risks that unmanageable climate change can bring about.
Opportunities for the 193 member countries of the UN to collectively alter course are sporadic. Yet, 2015 offers a number of opportunities to abandon the ‘business as usual’ mindset and instead embrace a common course of global action. The Paris conference could cap a year in which the world’s governments map an ambitious course of action to tackle climate change and put the world economy on a low-carbon development track.
In the meantime we need to make sure that every opportunity before Paris helps the global community seal a legally-binding agreement. This includes the Commonwealth meeting to be held in Malta and which will bring together developed and developing countries.
A strong deal emanating from Paris would transform the global energy economy and help deter the worst effects of climate change
Policymakers and the private sector need to support the transition to a low-carbon economy via responsible investments, through the evaluation of risks associated with carbon as well as with renewable energy and energy efficiency particularly energy efficient homes. We need to achieve this scenario without further burdening consumers and safeguarding national energy security.
Further investment in research and development is required so as to be able to improve available renewable technologies by making them more affordable and accessible.
The EU needs to remain the undisputable leader in climate change research and action. But for this to happen, it needs to show that it is a leader through action and not just words. Here, I cannot but refer to the current vehicle emissions saga in the EU. The decision around two weeks ago by the Technical Committee on Motor Vehicles to increase the emissions limit for diesel vehicles is, in my opinion, unacceptable.
In 2007, EU legislation stipulated that Euro 6 cars could emit up to 80mg/km NOx. Following the decision taken last week, between the years 2017 and 2020, the permissible limit will go up to 168mg/km, at a conformity factor of 2.1.
After 2020 this limit will be set at 120mg/km at a conformity factor of 1.5 for an indefinite period of time. This is higher than what was agreed upon eight years ago. The timing of such a decision was not only unfortunate but also ironic as it was taken just a few weeks before the EU will sit down with its counterparts to reach an ambitious deal on emissions and climate change.
We, Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament, are resolved to do our utmost to stop this regressive change. I am shocked that European governments are ready to authorise the production of cars that will pollute more to the detriment of the environment and global citizens.
The Paris UN Climate Summit will attempt to reach a successful climate agreement in an effort to limit the global temperature rise to two degrees Celsius by the end of this century.
I believe that there are five important issues that need to be achieved for Paris to be a success: a legally binding agreement (not just a loose aspiration); a revision clause that binds the global community to review the process every five years in order to improve where needed; a commitment that every nation needs to do its part (this cannot be a deal which binds only the developed countries as all need to contribute, albeit at different degrees); support for nations that find it difficult to change things, like through tailor-made help and support from the international community; and a firm commitment for developed countries to deliver the hundred billion dollars a year, every year till 2020, in climate change support pledged to developing countries.
This is a race against time, as the greenhouse gases that we are producing will stay with us for years to come. We need bold action and we need it now because this is a race we can ill afford to lose.