Brussels – All countries should help finance the fight against climate change. That’s the message the European Parliament strongly reiterated to leaders gathered in Baku, Azerbaijan, for the 29th Conference of Parties (COP).
The guideline that emerged during the ongoing plenary session in Brussels confirms the “polluter pays” principle, toward a new post-2025 goal that is socially equitable and relies on public, private, and innovative funding sources. A delegation from the Parliament will attend the meeting between November 18 and 22 and bring the shared European position on this issue.
The big topic on the table at COP29 is funding. After committing during COP28 to eliminating fossil fuels, considering alignment with the Fitfor55 European goals, COP29 aims to give an “unequivocal signal.”
In the non-legislative resolution approved on Thursday (Nov. 14) with 429 votes in favor, 183 against, and 24 abstentions, all countries are urged to agree on a new collective target. MEPs want all major emerging economies, especially those with high emissions and GDP, to contribute proportionately to global climate action.
None of the amendments proposed by Patriots for Europe and Europe of Sovereign Nations reached a majority and were accepted, so much so that the European Right compactly voted against the resolution. The amendments by PfE and ESN, in summary, proposed a significantly less totalizing climate commitment than the current one. One of them spoke clearly of “reviewing the European Green Deal” and called on the European Commission to better consider the social and economic impact of measures; others called for revisiting targets for targets (debated extensively in the EU).
There is a request to intensify the EU’s climate diplomacy, helping to create a level playing field internationally, preventing carbon leakage, and increasing public support for climate action.
In addition, given the previously set targets, the European Parliament also expects EU efforts to encourage carbon pricing mechanisms for other countries. At the same time, it should also improve the emissions trading system and the border carbon adjustment mechanism.
In 2023, the European Parliament voted on these three instruments to contribute substantially to climate neutrality by 2050 and a 55 percent reduction in emissions by 2030. The “polluter pays” principle underpins the emissions trading scheme (ETS), with industries required to buy allowances for every ton of CO2 they emit. The border adjustment mechanism (CBAM) involves paying a price for carbon emitted during the production of carbon-intensive goods outside the EU, aiming to protect European goods (whose green production is more expensive) and encouraging cleaner industrial production in non-EU countries.
Beyond the technical goals regarding climate change, the significant absences at COP29 did not go unnoticed. At the European level, the void left by French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz (grappling with the collapse of the government and the early elections), and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen (also grappling with a shaky majority) weighed heavily.
There was criticism from the Greens/ALE Group: “Europe must not shirk its responsibility either: President Von der Leyen, as well as Chancellor Scholz and President Macron, have skipped the COP when they have an obligation to be there and to play a leading role,” says European MP Michael Bloss, who is in the delegation going to Baku in the coming days. A jab at the EPP by the Greens/ALE’s shadow rapporteur at the Environment Committee, Lena Schilling: “It is regrettable that the EPP has failed to agree on the minimum target of reducing emissions by ninety percent by 2040.”
Even though the resolution passed, there are no signs that tension within the European Parliament is dying down, even for a resolution that saw unanimous support from all pro-European groups. The EPP remains at the center of discussions and perplexity on the European left, which can no longer accept moderation (and a good dose of ambiguity).
English version by the Translation Service of Withub
