President European Council of the Charles Michel and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen have addressed the UN climate summit in Glasgow and called for “radical change”.
Both Presidents spoke on behalf of the European Union on the second day of the COP26 talks. Ursula von der Leyen said countries have “a duty to act now” and must do “whatever it takes” but pointed to putting a price on carbon, instead of committing to get Europe off fossil fuels for good.
Friends of the Earth Europe climate justice spokesperson Colin Roche, commented: “EU leaders rightly praised the leadership of young people on the climate crisis, but those young people will not be fooled by an agreement full of loopholes and false solutions in Glasgow.
“While Charles Michel said the human race is responsible for the climate emergency, he conveniently ignored the fact that Europe is historically more responsible than most.
“Ursula von der Leyen said we must do whatever it takes – but the reality is that Europe has not yet put forward plans in line with its historical responsibility for the climate crisis. The EU needs to act now to make sure it goes fully fossil free this decade – and stop its support for failed market-based solutions.”
Dipti Bhatnagar, climate justice and energy co-coordinator for Friends of the Earth International speaking from Mozambique said: “The UK is on course to deliver the most exclusionary COP ever, pushing ahead with the summit while Covid-19 still ravages and so many in the Global South can’t get a vaccine or visa. It is hard to see how COP26’s outcomes could be considered fair and legitimate with those on the frontline of climate impacts unable to make their voices heard in the streets of Glasgow and in the halls of the COP.
“We are extremely concerned that rich countries and polluting corporations will push through a dangerous and damaging agreement on carbon markets, claiming themselves as climate champions.”
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