Climate emergency: EFA calls for bolder action

The European Parliament voted on 18 November to declare a climate and environmental emergency in Europe. In the past weeks and months, there were calls for the EU to take the necessary action in cutting greenhouse gasses in order to achieve climate neutrality.

The historical resolution was supported by EFA group MEPs. The party of the European Free Alliance and the EFA group in the European Parliament defend that words have to lead to action, and therefore call for the European Commission, all Member States and regional and local authorities to commit to bolder and urgent climate action.

The incoming European Commission has promised a climate law and a Green Deal, and there were calls for these to recognise the ‘urgency and scale’ of the current climate emergency.

This declaration by the European Parliament comes ahead of the forthcoming COP25 UN Climate Change Conference which will take place in Madrid on 2-13 December.

Also, several national and regional parliaments in the EU have already declared the climate emergency pushed by representatives of EFA member parties, such as the case of Scottish Parliament (SNP), the Welsh Senedd (Plaid Cymru), or the Valencian ‘Corts’ (Bloc-Compromís).

Speaking in the European Parliament, Aileen McLeod MEP said:

“Coming from Scotland, which has already declared a climate emergency, I support calls for this Parliament to declare a climate and environmental emergency in Europe.

But in doing so, it is absolutely essential that we commit to taking bolder and urgent climate action in response to the deteriorating situation.

We must send a strong message to our citizens and to the rest of the world that Europe will lead and will implement effective policies and actions to meet the 1.5°C target.

I would urge the Commission to ensure that its plans for a new European climate law and a green deal recognise the urgency and scale of the climate emergency that we face, and have at their heart the wellbeing of people and planet, because we must also ensure that the transition to net zero is just and fair and leaves no one behind.

We need all countries across the EU and beyond to step up to the plate and to come to Glasgow next year with serious climate commitments.”

Read the press release published on the website of the EFA group in the European Parliament.