Buzek calls for collaborative action ahead of climate summit

Jerzy Buzek has called for the European Parliament and the European Commission to work closely together during COP 20 in Lima next week.

The two-day international conference in Peru is being slated as the “foremost, principal opportunity” to debate and agree how to reduce carbon emissions before a major agreement is sealed in Paris next year.

Addressing the European Commissioner for Climate Action & Energy Miguel Arias Cañete during a debate on the UN conference, Buzek, who chairs the Parliament’s Industry, Research and Energy Committee, described climate change as a “global threat”, requiring a “global answer”, and that next year’s conference in France “will probably be the last chance” to achieve a deal. Lima, he said, was the opportunity to “finalise” the preliminary agreement.

“We cannot, as the EU, be the lone runner; we would endanger our industries, our SMEs, our energy sector and we would deprive ourselves of an important exit strategy from the crisis. This would be reckless and irresponsible. If we fail to reach a global deal, we may have to consider the principles of our own European deal.

“This is what is at stake in Lima and Paris, and this is why we must make the best of these conferences, and we ask you for close co-operation, commissioner, between our delegation – I am a member of our delegation to Lima – and yourself, the European Commission representative.”

The conference is held in conjunction with the Sustainable Innovation Forum 2014 (SIF14), in partnership with UNEP. SIF14 highlights key projects focusing on advancing the green economy and encouraging low carbon development.