Climate Action 2017-2018

POLICY
EUROPE LEADS
BY EXAMPLE ON
CLIMATE ACTION
Jos Delbeke, Director General,
European Commission Directorate-
General for Climate Action
The European Union (EU) has long
demonstrated global leadership
on climate change, one of the
greatest challenges of our time. In
2016, together with countries round the
world, we ratified the Paris Agreement,
allowing its early entry into force. And
yet the road to achieving our common
goals may not always be smooth. Along
with so many of our climate partners
worldwide – nations, regional and local
decision-makers, businesses, civil society
groups and citizens – the EU did not
hide its deep regret at the US President’s
announcement this year to withdraw the
US from the Paris Agreement. However,
the international community has shown
unity and resolve to follow through on
the Paris objectives. The EU has made it
very clear that the world can continue to
count on our leadership and support. We
are stepping up our partnerships around
the world, to help build strong, sustainable
economies and societies that are resilient
to the impacts of climate change.
What is now clear is that the EU is
anything but alone – the global lowcarbon
transition train has already left
the station. Over 85 per cent of the
Paris signatories have now ratified the
The EU did not hide its deep regret
at the US President’s announcement
this year to withdraw the US from the
Paris Agreement.
Agreement and are getting on with
implementation. Like us, they see Paris
not only as a path for preserving the
environment, but also the essential
growth engine for our economies. The
facts keep speaking for themselves: in
2016, investment in renewables capacity
outstripped investment in fossil fuel
generation for the fifth year in a row;
in each of the past three years, global
economic growth was not accompanied
by a rise in greenhouse gas emissions.
This year’s UN climate conference
(COP23) in Bonn, Germany, will be
guided by the presidency of Fiji, the
first small island state to have this role.
We have important progress to make in
Bonn. COP23 and the months that follow
will be crucial for ensuring successful
implementation of the Paris Agreement.
By the end of 2018, when countries will
gather for COP24 in Katowice, Poland,
parties should adopt a work programme
for Paris and take stock of our collective
contributions to the Agreement, through
the facilitative dialogue.
The EU has arrived at COP23 with an
important message to stakeholders across
Europe and our global partners: we are
getting on with the job at home. To ensure
the EU meets its Paris pledge to reduce
greenhouse gas emissions by at least 40
per cent by 2030 compared with 1990, the
European Commission has put forward a
range of legislative proposals in the past
couple of years, notably to make the EU
emissions trading system (EU ETS) fit for
2030, set member states 2030 emissions
targets for non-ETS sectors and integrate
greenhouse gas emissions and removals
from land use and forestry into the EU’s
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