EU member states meeting tomorrow must endorse the European Parliament’s legislative proposals made last week so the developing world can tackle global warming and ensure that no further damage is caused, Oxfam said today.

 

“EU member states have a vital chance at the European Council this week to deliver much-needed political momentum to the fight against climate change. If they fail to agree on an ambitious EU climate package, international negotiations will suffer,” said Luis Morago, head of Oxfam’s EU office.

 

“Member States must give a clear signal that Europe is committed to a cleaner future and place the needs of poor people and the environment before the powerful industrial lobbies that are insisting on business-as-usual.”

 

On 7 October, MEPs approved a proposal that half of all money from the sale of carbon allowances be spent on tackling climate change in developing countries via an international fund. Furthermore, the EP voted for at least 10 billion Euros of annual funding by 2020 for poor countries to adapt to the negative consequences of global warming.

 

Douwe Buzeman, Oxfam’s Climate Change and EU Development Policy Adviser in Brussels, said: “The EU must lead the fight to keep global warming below 2°C by ensuring that 100% of the emissions permits under the EU Emissions Trading Scheme will be auctioned to create a real incentive for companies to invest in emission reductions at the installation level.” The auctioning of revenues can generate a major new source of finance.

 

“The EU must meet its promises. By committing to provide poorer countries with grant-based financial support to adapt to the adverse effects of climate change, Europe will finally start to fulfill its obligations in line with its responsibility for causing the problem,” Buzeman said. This must be additional to the UN-agreed target of 0.7 per cent for aid. “It’s clear that we should not divert money for medicines in Africa to finance adaptation for climate change. The polluter must pay.”

 

An agreement by the Council and the Parliament will be officially approved in December, and will coincide with the UN climate change conference in Poznan.

 

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For more information:

 

Angela Corbalan, Oxfam’s EU Media & Advocacy Officer, + 32 2 231 16 63, + 32 473 56 22 60, angela.corbalan@oxfaminternational.org or Lucy Brinicombe, senior press officer in Oxford, +44(0) 1865 472192, lbrinicombe@oxfam.org.uk

More from the Oxfam Press Office at http://www.oxfam.org.uk/news