After COP26, Europe is mobilizing again for the climate. Eco guest of franceinfo on Wednesday 24 November, the Vice-President of the European Commission, Frans Timmermans, in charge of the Green Pact, considers that, despite disappointments, the Glasgow conference made it possible “fairly positive results“.
The Dutchman presented the results of COP26 to MEPs on Wednesday. The day before, Parliament had adopted the reform of the CAP, the Common Agricultural Policy, which includes an environmental component. Environmentalists and part of the left voted against this new CAP, deeming it too unambitious in the face of the climate crisis.
“I would have liked a CAP that went even faster, but it’s changing, and it’s changing in the right direction.” “
Frans Timmermans, Commissioner for Climateon franceinfo
In the Green Pact, presented last summer, the Commission aims for a significant reduction in greenhouse gases: -55% by 2030 compared to 1990. Is this objective still relevant, with the new CAP ? “Yes, but it will be very fair “, believes the European Commissioner: “The national plans that are going to be submitted to the European Commission must really be in line with the objective of the reformed CAP (…) I believe that we can always achieve this.“. On the other hand, “if we don’t“,”it will be very difficult“to achieve the objective set by the European Commission in its Green Pact.
France is fighting for the European Commission to consider investments in nuclear energy as green, sustainable investments. “We must make a decision within the Commission by the end of the year“, explains Frans Timmermans:”Some countries will choose nuclear power, others do not want it. It is the sovereign choice of our member countries to do it or not to do it“.
The European leader considers that nuclear “gives us the possibility of reaching -55% [de réduction des gaz à effets de serre]. “”The advantage of nuclear is that there are no emissions and that is a great advantage“. Frans Timmermans also believes that natural gas can be considered as an energy of transition, in certain countries which will need time”to go from coal to renewable“.
“We see that in transport, emissions are increasing. And in the building industry, we are not yet in a position to reduce the use of energy. So we must increase our efforts“, notes Frans Timmermans. The European Commissioner therefore wants to develop, in these new areas, the”market logic“which already exists on the European carbon market, where manufacturers can buy and sell emission allowances.
But the leader defends, at the same time, the creation of a “social climate fund to compensate citizens who would be affected by this“:”We have the possibility of avoiding energy poverty“.
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“The yellow vests movement is not an anti-climate movement. It is a movement that calls for social justice. Our climate transition will be done only on the basis of social justice.”
Frans Timmermans, European Commissioner for Climateon franceinfo
The Dutch want “demonstrate to citizens that it is a fair system, that we will reward citizens who are not able to pay for this transition, and that we will make those who are able to pay“.