An official delegation from the European Parliament will take part in the UN conference on climate change, the COP25, in Madrid in Spain this week from today until 14 December. The delegation is led by Bas Eickhout (Greens/EFA, NL), with Peter Liese (EPP, DE) as vice chairman.

The delegation is set to meet with UNFCCC Executive Secretary Patricia Espinosa, IPCC Chair Hoesung Lee, delegates from several non-EU countries as well as civil society representatives.

A press conference with delegation Chairman Bas Eickhout (Greens/EFA, NL), and Commission Vice President Frans Timmermans is scheduled to take place on 12 December 14h30-15h (TBC).

On Thursday 12 December at 12h30, Parliament is hosting a side event in the EU Pavilion focusing on the need to make all countries’ Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) more ambitious and on the role that forests play in reaching the Paris target.

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“I am glad that the European Parliament delegation has come to Madrid with a very clear mandate: The EU has to increase its National Determined Contribution to minus 55% greenhouse gas emission in 2030 compared to 1990, and become climate neutral by 2050 at the latest,” said Bas Eickhout (Greens/EFA, NL).

“While technical issues are very important, the most important thing is to continue to work for the common goal, in spite of Donald Trump’s withdrawal from the Paris Agreement. I very much support Ursula von der Leyen’s initiative to have an international alliance to increase ambition in the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). Developments in China, India, South Africa and Canada show that if we act in the right way, we are not the only ones that can be more ambitious,” said Peter Liese (EPP, DE), vice chairman of the delegation.

Background

On 28 November 2019, the European Parliament declared a climate emergency in Europe and globally. MEPs also asked for all relevant EU legislative and budgetary proposals to be fully aligned with the objective of limiting global warming to under 1.5 °C.

On the same day, Parliament also approved a resolution on the COP25, urging the EU to commit to reaching climate neutrality as soon as possible (and no later than 2050) and to submit this goal to the UN Convention on Climate Change. MEPs also urged EU countries to at least double their contributions to the international Green Climate Fund.