Page 8 - ARUBA TODAY

A8 WORLD NEWS
Thursday 5 March 2020
EU commission unveils climate law amid criticism

By SAMUEL PETREQUIN than the previous warmest
Associated Press January in 2007, and 3.1 C
BRUSSELS (AP) — Amid warmer than the average
fierce criticism from en- January in the period 1981-
vironmental activists, the 2010. Average tempera-
European Commission un- tures were especially high
veiled plans Wednesday over large parts of north-
for its first ever climate law, eastern Europe, in some ar-
which will act as the basis eas more than 6 C above
of the European Union's the 1981-2010 January av-
aim to make the 27-coun- erage."
try bloc climate neutral by Greenpeace also insists a
2050. 55% reduction target for
Under its Green Deal agen- 2030 is insufficient in limit-
da, the EU's executive arm ing global heating to 2 C.
wants to legislate to make Environmental group WWF
its ambition of cutting is recommending a cut of
greenhouse gas emissions at least 65% and is urging
to zero by mid-century irre- the EU to ban subsidies and
versible, and legally-bind- tax breaks for fossil fuels in-
ing for all member states. dustries as well as setting up
"This climate law will set in Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg, right, and European Commission President Ursula von an independent scientific
stone Europe's position as der Leyen attend the weekly College of Commissioners meeting at EU headquarters in Brussels, body to supervise the EU's
a climate leader on the Wednesday, March 4, 2020. climate change plans.
global stage," said Europe- Associated Press Green members of the
an Commission president European Parliament ac-
Ursula von der Leyen. ble" plan by September on der to advance discussions been pressing governments cused von der Leyen of giv-
To establish the 2050 goal, how to raise its current 2030 in a timely manner." to focus on so-called CO2 ing up her claim to lead in
the European Commission target of reducing green- Climate activist Greta budgets — the amount of the global climate debate.
is proposing a mechanism house gases by 40% from Thunberg, who attended CO2 that can be emitted "In the face of Greta, she
for regularly raising the EU's 1990 levels to "at least 50% Wednesday's climate dis- to keep global warming is breaking her promise to
emissions reduction target and towards 55% ." cussions with EU commis- below 2 degrees Celsius present ambitious climate
over the next three de- Environmental group sioners, dismissed the pro- (3.6 Fahrenheit), and ide- targets for 2030," Green
cades. However, there is no Greenpeace voiced con- posed law. ally no more than 1.5 C by lawmaker Michael Bloss
plan to increase the bloc's cerns that EU governments In an open letter, 34 youth the end of the century. said.
overall emissions goal for will "find it extremely difficult climate activists, including But scientists say countries To set a common trajec-
2030. to agree a new target" be- Thunberg, stressed that in- will miss both of those goals tory and impose revised
This particular point has fore the next round of U.N stead of setting long-term by a wide margin unless targets to member states
been criticized by climate climate talks in Glasgow, goals, the EU should focus drastic steps are taken to every five years from 2023,
activists, who claim that Scotland, in November. on emissions of carbon di- begin cutting greenhouse the commission is planning
delaying the upgraded A dozen of member states oxide right now if the world gas emissions this year. The to adopt legally binding
2030 target is detrimental have also expressed their is to meet the commitments European Centre for Medi- legislation that can enter
to the bloc's credibility in concern and have asked made five years ago at the um-Range Weather Fore- into force if the European
the fight against climate the commission to come Paris climate summit. casts said Wednesday that Parliament and European
change. up with a 2030 target "as Thunberg and her col- Europe had "the warmest Council, the EU body that
The commission only said it soon as possible and by leagues in the youth cli- January on record, about represents governments,
would present a "responsi- June 2020 at the latest in or- mate movement have 0.2 degrees Celsius warmer have no objections.q

Brawl erupts in Turkey's parliament over Syria involvement

Associated Press key's Haberturk television himself had accused the
ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — A reported. opposition earlier of be-
fight broke out in the Turkish Fighting is a frequent oc- ing "dishonorable, ignoble,
parliament between law- currence in Turkey's parlia- low and treacherous" for
makers from opposing par- ment. The clash on Wednes- questioning Turkey's military
ties Wednesday during a day started when Engin involvement in Syria's north-
tense discussion about Tur- Ozkoc of the opposition west Idlib province.
key's military involvement in Republican People's Party Tensions are running high
northwest Syria. took the rostrum. During a following the deaths of
Video images showed news conference shortly more than 50 Turkish soldiers
dozens of legislators from before, Ozkoc called Erdo- in Idlib in the past month, in-
President Recep Tayyip gan "dishonorable, igno- cluding 33 who were killed
Erdogan's party and from ble, low and treacherous." in an attack on Thursday.
the main opposition par- He also accused the presi- Turkey sent thousands of
ty pushing each other. In dent of sending the chil- troops to Syria to help pre-
the video, some are seen dren of Turkey's people to vent a Russia-backed Syr-
throwing punches while fight while Erdogan's own ian government offensive
others try to pull the brawl- offspring allegedly avoided Legislators push each other as a brawl breaks out in Turkey's to retake Idlib province
ing legislators apart. long-term military service. parliament in Ankara, Turkey, Wednesday, March 4, 2020. and to support Syrian op-
Some lawmakers fell to the During a speech to mem- Associated Press position fighters holed up
ground during the fray, Tur- bers of his party, Erdogan there.q