Now a group of NGOs, including T&E, WWF, CAN Europe, EEB, Birdlife Europe and SumofUs, have started a petition to send a strong message to the European Commission that binding national climate targets need to be strengthened to achieve Europe’s 2030 climate goal.
The new campaign, EverybodyCounts.eu calls on the EU to ensure every country does its bit to drive down emissions and to keep the Effort Sharing Regulation.
The petition website is facilitating participation of citizens in the public consultation on the climate law that regulates 60% of Europe’s emissions, covering the road transport, buildings, agriculture and waste sectors.
Currently each EU country has a national emissions target, but the EU is considering scrapping these goals. If governments were no longer required to bring down emissions in road transport and buildings, those sectors would be included in the bloc’s carbon market. Governments would no longer be responsible for road transport emissions, removing a key driver for green tax reform, investment in public transport, or electromobility at national level. Instead citizens would have to pay more for their road fuel and heating through higher carbon prices. Lower-income households which cannot afford to upgrade their vehicles and retrofit their homes would be hit the hardest.
“National climate targets are vital to drive down emissions,” the petition states. “And governments need to play their part. If we secure national action now, we have a chance for better living. We must act together, otherwise, with climate change accelerating out of control, we will experience biodiversity loss, water scarcity, heat waves and other weather extremes which affect everyone.”
Members of the public have until 5 February to make their voice heard.
Please sign the petitition to demand climate action everywhere:
