The time for empty rhetoric is over, with MEP Miriam Dalli leading the charge for the EU to declare a climate emergency and introduce sweeping and long-lasting measures to achieve carbon neutrality.

“We have had enough of empty rhetoric from those who say that they believe that climate change has to be addressed as a matter of urgency but then duck out when push comes to shove,” Dalli told the European Parliament.

The call comes just a day after the Maltese parliament declared a climate emergency following an opposition motion.

Addressing the house on behalf of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats (S&D), Dalli put forward the group’s long-term economic, social, and environment plan.

Beyond an ambitious plan for deep decarbonisation, Dalli called for a shift from fossil fuels to clean energy while also safeguarding biodiversity through a new agricultural model.

Water scarcity should also be addressed, Dalli explained, while building practices must also be renovated.

“Citizens who are paying the high price of wildfires, droughts, floods and storms, want leaders that are capable of addressing the real cause leading to this extreme weather,” she said.

The ocean is also a key focus for S&D, with Dalli calling for an ocean-based climate action, which could deliver up to 21% of the emission reductions needed by 2050.

“We have a choice to make: either state that in front of us we have a crisis and do nothing concrete about it or use this challenge to come out stronger, better and empowered,” Dalli closed.

Dalli herself has become somewhat of a trailblazer on environmental issues after pushing through stringent emissions targets on member states. Her work in the field even led  Politico to list her among the 28 most influential people within the EU.

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