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A28 WORLD NEWS
Friday 29 May 2020
EU pledges to stay green in recovery from coronavirus

By SAMUEL PETREQUIN carbon-neutral continent
Associated Press by 2050 remained un-
BRUSSELS (AP) — The Euro- changed, confirming that
pean Commission pledged upgraded targets for the
Thursday to stay away from 2030 horizon would be pre-
fossil-fueled projects in its sented by September.
coronavirus recovery strat- Reacting to the execu-
egy, and to stick to its target tive arm's recovery plans,
of making Europe the first Greenpeace lashed out
climate neutral continent at a project it described as
by the mid-century, but "contradictory at best and
environmental groups said damaging at worst," ac-
they were unimpressed. cusing the commission of
To weather the deep reces- sticking to a growth-driven
sion triggered by the pan- mentality detrimental to
demic, Commission Presi- the environment.
dent Ursula von der Leyen "The plan includes sev-
has proposed a €1.85 tril- eral eye-catching green
lion ($2 trillion) package `options,' including home
consisting of a revised renovation schemes, taxes
long-term budget and a on single-use plastic waste
recovery fund, with 25% of and the revenues of digi-
the funding set aside for cli- European Commissioners for European Green Deal Frans Timmermans, European Commissioner tal giants like Google and
mate action. for Cohesion and Reforms Elisa Ferreira and European Commissioner for Jobs and Social Rights Facebook. But it does not
To help economies from Nicolas Schmit, from left, speak during a joint video press conference on Green and Just recovery solve the problem of ex-
at the EU headquarters in Brussels, Thursday, May 28, 2020.
the 27-nation bloc bounce Associated Press isting support for gas, oil,
back as quick as possible, coal, and industrial farming
the EU's executive arm and private investment. The sion executive vice presi- ral gas to help move away — some of the main drivers
wants to massively increase money is designed to help dent in charge the Europe- from coal. of a mounting climate and
a 7.5-billion euro ($8.25 bil- coal-dependent countries an Green Deal, responded The commission also wants environmental emergen-
lion) fund presented earlier weather the costs of mov- on Thursday. "It is unthink- to dedicate an extra 15 bil- cy," Greenpeace said.
this year that was part of an ing away from fossil fuels. able that support will be lion euros ($16.5 billion) to "The plan also fails to set
investment plan aiming at Environmental group WWF given to go from coal to an agricultural fund sup- strict social or green condi-
making the continent more acknowledged the com- coal. That is how we are porting rural areas in their tions on access to funding
environmentally friendly. mission's efforts but ex- going to approach the is- transition toward a greener for polluters like airlines or
Under the commission's pressed fears the money sue. That's the only way you model. carmakers."
new plan, which requires could go to "harmful ac- can ensure you actually do Von der Leyen, who took Timmermans said the EU will
the approval of member tivities such as fossil fuels or not harm." office last year, has made keep investing in the de-
states, the mechanism will building new airports and Timmermans conceded, the fight against climate velopment of emission-free
be expanded to 40 billion motorways." however, that projects in- change the priority of her public transportation sys-
euros ($44 billion) and is ex- "It can't be used to move volving fossil fuels could term. Timmermans insist- tems, and promoting clean
pected to generate anoth- from coal to coal," Frans sometimes be necessary, ed that her goal to make private transport through
er 150 billion euros in public Timmermans, the commis- especially the use of natu- Europe the world's first the EU budget.q

Regional court orders Panama to protect migrants’ health

virus pandemic, Panama the migrants held in Peñitas week that Costa Rica and
had practiced what it and Lajas Blancas. Nicaragua had closed their
called a "controlled flow," The migrants come from borders as well, making it
which allowed migrants Haiti and Cuba, as well as impossible for the migrants
emerging from the danger- African and Asian nations. to advance.
ous Darien jungle to rest at About 80 infected with the He said a strong effort was
camps before boarding virus were moved to Lajas being made to provide the
buses and continuing their Blancas, the second camp migrants with the medical
journey up through Central along the route. Dozens of care, as well as basics such
America. others with symptoms or as cots to sleep on and wa-
Now border police are who had contact with the ter.
holding migrants in those infected have been sent The court has watched
same centers as COVID-19 there as well. Panama closely since a
infections build. The court said the Peñitas 2002 case about human
Panama's government and shelter was still far beyond rights violations of an Ecua-
In this June 19, 2018 file photo, a Panama border police officer the International Organi- its capacity with nearly dorean migrant in Darien.
points as he begins to patrol in the Darien Province, on the zation for Migration, which 1,700 people there includ- The non-governmental
border with Colombia, in Yaviza, Panama. aids Panama in the area, ing more than 400 children. Center for Justice and In-
Associated Press did not immediately re- It ordered immediate "ac- ternational Law monitors
By JUAN ZAMORANO provide medical care and spond to requests for com- cess to essential health ser- Panama's compliance. The
Associated Press more sanitary conditions ment Thursday. vices without discrimination center says that migrants
PANAMA CITY (AP) — A re- for some 2,000 migrants de- This week the Inter-Ameri- to all of the people" in the crossing the Darien face a
gional human rights court tained near the Colombian can Court of Human Rights camps. Vice-Minister of For- policy of automatic and ar-
has ordered Panama's gov- border. ordered the government to eign Affairs Federico Alfaro bitrary detention and over-
ernment to immediately Prior to the novel corona- safeguard the wellfare of Boyd noted earlier this crowded conditions.q