The Commission rejects NGO’s request to review 2030 emissions targets as “unfounded”

The European Commission has rejected a request from environmental NGOs to reduce annual emission allowances for member states, claiming it lacks the power to reassess the bloc’s 2030 target. In response to a formal request from Climate Action Network (CAN) Europe and Global Legal Action Network (GLAN) to review the level of ambition of annual emission allowances, the EU executive stated that such a reassessment would go beyond its powers. The Commission also failed to account for an impact assessment or conduct fresh research on the feasibility of reducing domestic emissions beyond the 2030 target. This response has been met with disappointment from the environmental NGOs, with CAN Europe’s expert on climate governance and human rights policies accusing the EU executive of denying its duty to accelerate emission cuts in line with scientific data and previous legal commitments. The NGOs are currently assessing all available options, including taking a challenge to the EU General Court. The Commission has stated that it “didn’t have anything to add” when approached for further comment. This decision by the European Commission has sparked criticism from climate advocates, who argue that the EU must ramp up its emissions reductions urgently and achieve at least a gross 65% cut by 2035. The rejection of the NGO request comes at a time when global efforts to address the climate crisis are at the forefront of international discourse. As the EU continues to grapple with its climate targets, the decision to rebuff NGO efforts to increase national ambitions has raised concerns about the bloc’s commitment to addressing the urgent need for climate action.

Source
Photo credit www.euronews.com