European lawmakers to consider tougher climate law: draft

Reuters ^ | May 8, 2020 | by Kate Abnett

[Oldeconomybuyer]

European Union lawmakers are considering toughening the bloc’s planned climate law, with stricter near-term emission goals and a binding commitment for every member state to decarbonize by 2050, according to a draft document seen by Reuters.

Such goals are required if the world is to stick within limits scientists say are needed to avoid devastating fallout from global warming, the lead author of the document, Swedish lawmaker Jytte Guteland, said.

The European Commission, the EU’s executive, proposed the law in March - weeks before the coronavirus pandemic prompted an economic crisis that the bloc has pledged to tackle with “green” investment.

Centred around a legally binding goal to cut EU net greenhouse gas emissions to zero by 2050, the law must be agreed with lawmakers and member states to take effect.

The draft also calls for the EU’s 2030 climate target to be tightened to a 65% cut in emissions from 1990 levels, rather than the 50% or 55% cut being considered by the Commission.

Guteland, who guides the parliament’s talks on the climate law, said the proposal fits the emissions pathway scientists say would avoid catastrophic climate change.

“Scientists are talking about planetary limits. If we do not limit our emissions faster during the first 10 years, then we might actually go over the planetary limits,” she told Reuters of the risk of breaching the crucial 1.5 degrees boundary.

“It is political choice whether we do it or not.”

[Oldeconomybuyer]

Joseph Goebbels was a German Nazi politician and Reich Minister of Propaganda of Nazi Germany from 1933 to 1945.

Jytte GUTELAND, Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament

[ClearCase_guy]

My suggestion would be to shut down all national economies and force people to cower inside their homes for at least a decade. I’m sure this idea will have popular support.

[jarwulf]

I can think of no better move after an economy gutting shutdown.

[cranked]

Yes, please continue to erode the EU more. Calling it now: the EU is implosion mode as more and more EU nations consider getting out of it.

[Pontiac]

Just in case the COVID-19 forced end to productivity isn’t enough to tank the economy.

Here is another anti-productivity law to ensure that we enter a depression.

[canuck_conservative]

Scientists are talking about planetary limits

So China and India will actually have to cut their emissions from now on? Really?

They won't be getting a free pass anymore, under the sham notion that they're still "developing countries"??

[bert]

Wow, the competition is suiciding

First China. Now Europe.

Communist fanatics, European fanatics...... no difference

[Leaning Right]

> a binding commitment for every member state to decarbonize by 2050 <

Are these people crazy? They should decarbonize immediately! Do it for the children! And for the polar bears!

Although I’m on the other side of the pond, I’m quite willing to help. The EU can use my technical drawing below as the blueprint for their decarbonized vehicles. No charge. It’s just friends helping friends.

[Presbyterian Reporter]

Europe is well on their way to killing off 200,000 people with their mismanagement of China Virus.

Just protecting the environment by removing the CO2 from the breaths exhaled by these 200,000 people should allow Europe to easily meet the faux climate change agenda they so willingly adopted.

[SoCal Pubbie]

We’re all living in Jonestown now.

[Reeses]

Europe is well on their way to killing off 200,000 people with their mismanagement of China Virus.

European countries have 1) decreasing tax-paying populations and 2) increasing and longer living retirees that get pensions and healthcare. Having members of category 2 die off is a feature, not a bug. Passing carbon taxes is a way of tricking category 1 into paying for a growing category 2.