Debate: UN Climate Change Conference in Glasgow, the UK
Date: WEDNESDAY, 20 OCTOBER 2021
Speaker: Virginijus Sinkevičius
Language: EN

I have listened carefully to your interventions and I am encouraged by your support and by your commitment to maintain the European Union’s role as a leader in the field of international climate action. Strong and united European Union messaging will be instrumental to deliver on our leadership during COP26 in Glasgow and beyond. Let me briefly address just a few of the many issues you raised today. Many of you have mentioned the fact that we need to better mainstream climate into all policies, and I could not agree more. I also highlighted this in my introductory remarks. You mentioned transport, agriculture, trade and many more. This is a collective responsibility, a collective task for us all: the Commission, the Member States and the European Parliament. You have also pointed to the fact that others need to follow our ambition – and yes, this will be our ambition in Glasgow, and this is what we are working for at full speed. The EU accounts for only an 8% – and decreasing – share of global emissions. We need all countries to join the global race to zero emissions. If they do, we will all win. This is what my colleague, Frans Timmermans, is doing right now: reaching out to our partner countries all over the world and encouraging them to join this global race. And here I have to comment on what Ms Bentele said. She thinks that the EU needs a climate envoy like John Kerry. Well, let me be very clear: I could not imagine a better climate envoy than Frans Timmermans already is. He is a respected, efficient and passionate fighter for our common cause, and he’s well supported by the Green Deal team in the Commission, of which I am proud to be part. So yes, we will need to hear from other parties – but also from the private sector – how quickly we can expect the phasing out of coal and the internal combustion engine and how quickly we can expect the phasing in of technologies and energy sources, such as the scaling up of renewables and the production of the use of green hydrogen. Finally, many of you have made it very clear today that we have had enough words and we now need action. As far as our EU goals are concerned, our Fit for 55 package is our proposal for action. It’s exactly the action we need to translate our noble objectives into concrete steps. So I count on this House and on the Council to proceed as efficiently as possible with your legislative work on this very complex package, and I can only reassure you that the Commission will assist and support you in this work where necessary. I am convinced that the European Commission and the Council, under the leadership of the Slovenian Presidency, will contribute to the adoption of a comprehensive and balanced Glasgow outcome, which will ensure an ambitious global response to climate change and which will keep the 1.5°C goal within reach, in line with the Paris Agreement and in light of science. After Glasgow, our work must continue, both domestically and internationally. With our domestic experience and external policy instruments and dialogues, we are in a position to help our partners to advance their transition to a low—carbon, climate—resilient economy. Thank you again for the opportunity to have this debate. I look forward to continuing our dialogue in the future.