MEPs vote for ambitious CO2 emission reduction targets in Bali

The European Parliament adopted a resolution on the strategy for the Bali Conference on Climate Change on 15 November. MEPs stressed that binding emission targets for all industrialised countries, a global ´cap and trade´ system and a 50% cut in greenhouse gas emissions by the middle of this century should be some of the EU´s core targets for the upcoming UN Climate Change Conference.

ALDE coordinator on the TCCC Lena Ek (Centerpartiet, Sweden) commented: "The situation is critical. Human activity is causing a rise in global temperature. Ambitious goals are absolutely necessary. We need to help the developing countries with their challenge to combine economical development with environmental friendly techniques."

Ek stressed the importance of forests: "Today a lot of forests are being cut down. Our globe needs our forests to absorb CO2. A sustainable management of our forests is needed."

ALDE-member Vittorio Prodi (Margherita, Italy), Vice-Chair of the EP Temporary Committee on Climate Change (TCCC) said:

"If we want to make sure that we reach our long term goal of limiting the average global temperature increase to less than 2°C, we will have to decrease our CO2 output drastically. In order to do that we may have to consider more radical suggestions that allocate a number of carbon emission rights per individual. A system like "One person, one emission right" may be necessary in the near future."