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A8 WORLD NEWS
Saturday 23 March 2019

EU leaders postpone decision on 2050 climate goal

By FRANK JORDANS neutrality by 2050” in line
SAMUEL PETREQUIN with the Paris accord’s cli-
Associated Press mate warming goal. Cli-
BRUSSELS (AP) — European mate neutrality would re-
Union leaders on Friday quire countries to reduce
pushed back a decision on emissions of greenhouse
the bloc’s long-term efforts gases to the level that can
to fight climate change, be absorbed again and is
with some countries oppos- sometimes referred to as
ing a pledge to end most “net zero.”
emissions of greenhouse Germany, Poland and
gases by 2050. the Czech Republic were
Leaders meeting in Brussels among those EU nations re-
agreed to discuss the issue luctant to explicitly cite the
again at their next gather- year 2050 for curbing emis-
ing in June, ahead of a U.N. sions, according to position
summit on climate change papers obtained by The As-
in the fall. The delay frus- sociated Press.
trated environmental cam- Still, a lead author of the
paigners, who argue that Nobel Prize-winning Inter-
the EU should lead global governmental Panel on
efforts to meet the 2015 Climate Change’s recent
Paris accord’s most am- report on limiting global
bitious target of keeping Young people protest for climate action with a sign reading ‘Save the World Now” during a ‘Friday warming to 1.5 C above
global warming at 1.5 de- for Future’ demonstration in Berlin, Germany, Friday, March 22, 2019. pre-industrial times said
grees Celsius (2.7 degrees Associated Press that while the EU decla-
Fahrenheit) by the end of the century. “Young peo- change “were eminently meeting in Brussels was tak- ration was vague, it ad-
the century. ple get this,” he said, refer- insufficient.” en up with haggling over dressed important points.
“European governments ring to recent rallies in cities “Today, we are not giving the bloc’s future relation- “They sharpened the com-
are kicking the can down around the world that drew a clear answer to the com- ship with Britain. But on the mitment to 1.5 (Celsius),”
the road on climate hundreds of thousands of mitments we made in Paris second day, leaders were said Daniela Jacob, direc-
change,” said Sebastian students calling for leaders in 2015, to the scientific able to address a number tor of the Climate Services
Mang, a policy adviser with to tackle climate change. challenges pointed out by of other issues, including Center in Hamburg, Ger-
Greenpeace. French President Emmanu- the best experts, and to the the EU’s ties with China, in- many.
Mang cited warnings from el Macron, who two years legitimate impatience that dustrial policy and global The European Parliament
scientists that sharp cuts in ago launched the “One youngsters are expressing warming. recently voted in favor of
emissions of carbon dioxide Planet Summit” aimed at in demonstrations every Some countries, includ- raising the targeted emis-
and other greenhouse gas- speeding up the imple- week in our capitals,” Ma- ing France, Spain and the sions cuts to 55 percent
es are needed in the com- mentation of the 2015 Paris cron said. “We will need to Netherlands, had proposed by 2030, but leaders of the
ing decades to prevent po- climate agreement, said wake up, but we have not that leaders agree “an am- bloc’s 28 members have so
tentially catastrophic levels Friday that the bloc’s ef- really seen that yet.” bitious long-term strategy far refrained from following
of warming by the end of forts at fighting climate Much of the two-day EU by 2020 striving for climate suit.q

Priest in stable condition after stabbing at Montreal church

Associated Press channel. Video shows a tall about 15 minutes later
MONTREAL (AP) — A Ca- man in a dark jacket and when paramedics wheeled
nadian Catholic priest was white baseball cap round- him to an ambulance.
stabbed in front of dozens ing the altar and charging He said members of the
of stunned worshippers as at Grou as he thrusts his congregation immediately
he was celebrating mass right arm toward the priest. began praying.
Friday morning at Montre- Grou runs backward a few “We’re reassured, because
al’s St. Joseph’s Oratory. steps before the assailant when he left the oratory he
Montreal police said a 911 pushes him into a banner. was conscious and could
call was placed at around As screams are heard in talk, which we see as a
8:40 a.m. local time. When the background, a group good sign,” said Celine Bar-
officers arrived at the land- of people run forward, sur- beau, a spokeswoman for
mark church, a male sus- rounding and blocking the the church.
pect was already detained suspect. Barrett said people St. Joseph’s Oratory is
by security guards. quickly restrained the sus- among Canada’s larg-
Philip Barrett, who was sit- pect, who did not struggle. est churches, and pilgrims
ting near the front of the A woman talks to the media at the scene where a Catholic He said the suspect didn’t from all over the world are
church, said he saw a tall priest was stabbed as he was celebrating morning mass at the speak or call out during the drawn to its domed roof
man, who appeared to be St. Joesph’s Oratory in Montreal on Friday, March 22, 2019. attack. The suspect was to and stunning architecture.
a Caucasian in his 30s, rise Associated Press be questioned by police Barrett said that he, like the
from a pew and quickly to strike the priest’s body,” man but it happened so Friday morning. rest of the roughly 60 peo-
walk to attack Rev. Claude Barrett said. “I think the quickly there was almost no Barrett said Grou crumpled ple present, was shocked
Grou, the Oratory’s rector. priest fell down at that time. time to react.” to the ground after the at- that an attack would hap-
“He walked over behind I do remember the priest The service was live- tack, but he appeared pen in a place he has
the altar and he seemed was moving away from the streamed on a Catholic to be conscious and alert come to see as a haven. q