11/09/2014

London’s Green MEP Jean Lambert hosted a panel on climate change in the lead up to Paris 2015 summit. Speakers included the Bolivian Ambassador to the UK, H.E. Roberto Calzadilla and Friends of the Earth climate campaigner Donna Hume.

Earlier this year the European Parliament agreed new targets on climate change including binding targets on energy efficiency and renewable energy by 2030. Ms. Lambert started off the panel with an update on recent developments in Brussels including rumours about the nomination of Lord Hill as the EU’s next Climate and Energy Commissioner.

“We need strong voices from national governments and the European Council on climate change. I hope the incoming Commissioners will use every opportunity to improve not only Europe’s climate policy, but also that of the rest of the world.”

Second speaker Ms. Hume followed on outlining the UK’s track record on climate change policies highlighting that the lack of progress is not due to a lack of solutions. The UK and Europe needs to listen to the people’s energy demands in the run up to the 2015 Paris conference, namely an end to dirty fuels (including fracking), an end to fossil fuel subsidies, and more support to green community energy. Above all, Ms. Hume stressed the need to talk about the real impacts of climate change on people in order to deliver real solutions.

Third speaker Ambassador Calzadilla provided a different perspective from developing countries stating that we cannot detach climate change and development.  Mitigation, adaptation, integral development and poverty eradication are four elements that are mutually conditioned and required to focus on the principle of common but differentiated responsibility.   The Ambassador touched on the need for climate agreements to differentiate between developed and developing countries, which they currently do not. Bolivia is part of the Like-Minded Developing Countries on Climate Change, a coalition of about 25 countries pushing for a progressive, less-market based negotiations on climate change. The Ambassador joined the call from Ms. Lambert and Ms. Hume for increased mobilisation and campaigning in the lead up to Paris 2015, starting with the upcoming Climate March on September 21^st: http://peoplesclimate.org/london/