Peter Liese: Shaping European climate protection so that we are a role model for the world / Emissions trading as a key instrument at risk / Ambitious but realistic climate targets for after 2030 crucial for international process

2024 was the warmest year of our weather records. The Copernicus report also states that the European continent is warming at an above-average rate. Peter Liese, environmental spokesperson for the largest political group in the European Parliament (EPP, Christian Democrats), said: “The report once again makes it clear to us how dramatic the situation is and how important effective climate protection is. In many parts of Europe we are experiencing extreme drought. Unfortunately, we cannot tackle the problem of climate change alone. That is why focussing on global climate protection is absolutely crucial. Our measures must be designed in such a way that, firstly, we are a role model for the rest of the world and, secondly, we reward those third countries that protect the climate and penalise those that do not. This means we must take a pragmatic approach to climate protection and, for example, reduce bureaucracy without jeopardising the climate targets, as the European Commission has already proposed in recent months.”

When asked about achieving the EU's climate targets for 2030, the MEP makes it clear that the focus is on the wrong debate: “I am in favour of abolishing the ban of the combustion engine and replacing it with technology-neutral rules, however, without compromising on the goal of only registering new cars that are climate-neutral from 2035. However, the effect of the ban of the combustion engine on climate protection is completely overrated. Continuing with the European Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS) as planned is much more important for the question of whether the EU will meet its climate targets. There are massive attacks on the ETS, above all, of course, against the ETS2 for road transport, heating and process heat, but now also against the ETS1 for industry, energy, aviation and shipping. The debate about the ban of the combustion engine is distracting from the main issue, namely that the emissions trading system is in danger.”

Not only the players in Brussels and the member states, but the whole world is eagerly awaiting the new EU climate targets for 2040 and 2035. “As far as the EU climate target for 2040 is concerned, the biggest problem is that we have no target at all for the period after 2030. Other countries such as Japan, the UK and Brazil already set their targets some time ago. China and India, like many others, are waiting for the European Union. Therefore, following Donald Trump's withdrawal from the Paris Agreement, it is indeed crucial that Europe quickly presents an ambitious but realistic target. In my view, the European Commission's fixation on a target of 90% is problematic. We must give member states and industry more flexibility. Until then, an ambitious but pragmatic European climate policy is perhaps decisive for the question of whether the Paris climate target (well below 2°C) can be achieved or not,” said Peter Liese.