Page 8 - ARUBA TODAY

A8 WORLD NEWS
Wednesday 4 March 2020
Greens, Thunberg say EU climate law lacks ambition

her and EU commissioners. a wide margin unless dras- 1990 levels."
In light of the tone of the tic steps are taken to begin Both environmental group
letter, it's unlikely that Thun- cutting greenhouse gas Greenpeace and Green
berg will only sit and watch. emissions this year. lawmakers in the European
"Any climate law or policy "Distant net-zero emission Parliament say that delay-
that is not based on the targets will mean abso- ing an upgraded 2030 tar-
current best available sci- lutely nothing if we just con- get will have damaging
ence and does not include tinue to ignore the carbon political consequences.
the global aspect of equity dioxide budget – which Michael Bloss, a lawmaker
or climate justice – prin- applies for today, not a far- with the German Green
ciples at the very heart of away future," the climate Party, said it's essential that
the Paris Agreement – will activists said. the 2030 target should be
do more harm than good," "If high emissions continue fixed well ahead of the U.N
the group said. "Such a law like now, even for a few climate talks that will be
sends a strong signal that years, that remaining bud- held in Glasgow in Novem-
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen rings a real, sufficient action is be- get will soon be completely ber if Europe wants to ap-
bell to signal the start of a weekly College of Commissioners ing taken when in fact it's used up." ply pressure on big-emitting
meeting at the EU headquarters in Brussels, Wednesday, Feb.
26, 2020. not." According to a leaked countries such as China.
Associated Press The group stressed that in- draft of the proposals es- "We need our European
stead of setting long-term tablishing the 2050 goal, goal published as soon as
By SAMUEL PETREQUIN Thunberg, wrote an open goals, the EU should focus the European Commission possible," he said Tuesday.
Associated Press letter Tuesday to EU leaders on the "CO2 budget which is proposing a mechanism "The commission's delay-
BRUSSELS (AP) — Climate explaining why they think applies for today." for regularly raising the EU's ing tactics in putting for-
activists and Green mem- the planned law is "a sur- Such C02 budgets are used emissions reduction target ward the updated 2030
bers of the European Par- render." to measure the additional over the next three de- target is irresponsible. Emis-
liament are urging the Eu- European Commission emissions that can enter cades, but there is no plan sions must be reduced by
ropean Union to be more President Ursula von der the atmosphere without for an increase of the EU's at least 65%by 2030 and
ambitious as the bloc gets Leyen, who has put climate global warming exceeding overall emissions goal for could should be phased
ready to unveil plans for a change at the top of her a certain level. World lead- 2030. out by 2030 at the latest if
climate law to cut green- priorities and pledged to ers agreed five years ago in In the draft, the European we are to comply with the
house gas emissions to zero make Europe the first cli- Paris to keep global warm- Commission said it will re- Paris Climate Agreement."
by mid-century. mate neutral continent by ing below 2 degrees Celsius view the EU's current target Greenpeace said by fail-
While the Greens urged 2050, will present her plans (3.6 Fahrenheit), ideally no of a 40% greenhouse gas ing to include a 2030 tar-
the 27-nation bloc to raise on Wednesday. To add more than 1.5 C (2.7 F) by reduction and "explore op- get, "there is a very real risk
its 2030 climate targets, a luster to the event, she has the end of the century. But tions for a new 2030 target that the EU could go empty
group of 34 youth climate invited Thunberg to discuss scientists say countries will of 50% to 55% emission re- handed to the U.N. climate
activists, including Greta the climate legislation with miss both of those goals by ductions compared with conference in Glasgow." q

Ukraine's prime minister

submits resignation,

lawmakers say

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Law- month, had previously
makers in Ukraine said Tues- served as head of the re-
day the parliament is gear- gional administration in the
ing up for a vote to accept western Ivano-Frankivsk re-
the resignation of the na- gion.
tion's prime minister. Honcharuk first offered his
Members of President resignation in January af-
Volodymyr Zelenskiy's Ser- ter he was caught on tape
vant of the People party saying Zelenskiy — a former
that dominates the parlia- sitcom star with no previ-
ment said Prime Minister ous political experience —
Oleksiy Honcharuk has sub- knows nothing about the
mitted his letter of resigna- economy. Zelenskiy then
tion. called the situation "un-
They said the party decid- pleasant" but asked Hon-
ed to accept Honcharuk's charuk to stay on the job.
resignation and replace It wasn't immediately clear
him with Denys Shmygal what prompted Honcharuk
in a vote scheduled for now to step down. Trump
Wednesday. was impeached in Decem-
There was no immediate ber on two counts by the
comment from Zelenskiy or Democratic-run House,
Honcharuk. but Republican-run Sen-
Shmygal, who was named ate acquitted him on both
deputy prime minister last counts.q