EU must transform climate commitments into concrete policies

At their summit in Brussels today, the EU heads of state and governments will decide whether to commit the European Union to achieving carbon neutrality by 2050, and consequently up their 2030 climate targets. To stay in line with the 1.5 C° target enshrined in the Paris Agreement, the EU should entirely decarbonise as early as 2040 and cut its carbon emission by up to 65% by 2030.

Calling on EU leaders to take bold climate action, Oxfam International’s Executive Director Winnie Byanyima said:

“Hundreds of millions of people across the world are already suffering as a result of the climate crisis, and it is the poorest communities who are hit hardest.

“More ambitious targets for cutting climate pollution are needed to tackle the climate emergency. It is vital that EU governments translate these commitments into concrete policies that will cut emissions in Europe and increase funding for international climate action.

“The EU must stop the large-scale use of biofuels, which contribute to increasing food prices and the forced removal of poor communities from their land.”