The seminar consisted of a discussion between Pascal Canfin, Chair of the Committee on Environment, Public Health and Food Safety, Bas Eickhout, Vice-Chair of the Committee on Environment, Public Health and Food Safety, and author of the text for the Resolution ahead of COP26 in Glasgow, and Lídia Pereira, Member of the Committee on Environment, Public Health and Food Safety and co-rapporteur of the Resolution ahead of COP26 in Glasgow.

Canfin addressed the plans that are in place, referring to the European Green Deal, stating that the core of the discussion now is the ability to deliver on the plan.

Eickhout also pointed out that he would like to see more meetings before 2025, as a new round of pledges is set to be announced in that year, emphasising the need for a big discussion.

“This week we will look at how we can accelerate the review mechanism, to have more meetings before 2025 and an increase in pledges before 2030. That’s the big discussion we want to see this week,” he said.

Regarding the United States, Canfin said that the big difference between the EU and the US is that the discussion on climate change is still in its infancy in the US.

“It’s hard to establish trust, long-term commitment, and stability,” he said.

Canfin also stressed that it is important for the green deal to be seen as a non-polarised policy, in order to not instill division between parties, and to create more stability in the long term.

In the European Parliament, the Committee on Environment, Public Health, and Food Safety tabled a motion for a resolution on COP26 that was adopted during the October II plenary session with 527 votes for, 134 votes against, and 35 abstentions.

In the resolution, MEPs say that the EU must remain a world leader in the fight against climate change and that all G20 nations should show global leadership and commit to achieving climate neutrality at the latest by 2050.

What do you make of this?