EU lawmakers agree to phase out combustion-engine cars by 2035 as scientists warn emissions must fall by 45 percent THIS DECADE to hit 1.5C target – but Sunak pulls out of Cop27 summit and downgrades minister
By OLIVIA DEVEREUX-EVANS FOR MAILONLINE
EU lawmakers struck a deal on Thursday to effectively ban the sale of new petrol and diesel cars from 2035, with the goal of accelerating the switch to electric vehicles and to combat climate change.
However, the agreement came as scientists warned emissions must fall by 45 per cent this decade to hit the 1.5C target, suggesting even the landmark move will not be enough, and many more measures will have to be taken.
The Emissions Gap report, completed by the United Nations Environment Programme, found that national promises made since last year's COP26 summit in Glasgow would only shave less than one percent off global greenhouse gas emissions by 2030.
Fears continue to grow over climate change, as numerous weather events strike the world, exacerbated by climbing temperatures.
Since the start of the Industrial Revolution, the world has warmed nearly 1.2 degrees.
The Emissions Gap report examines the difference between the planet-heating pollution that will still be released under countries' decarbonisation plans and what science says is needed to keep to the Paris Agreement goal of limiting warming to between 1.5-2.0C.
Progress on emissions cutting was labelled 'woefully inadequate' by UNEP, a day after the UN's climate change agency said that governments were still doing 'nowhere near' enough to keep global heating to 1.5C.
It stated that the world was 'hurtling towards' a temperature rise far in excess of the Paris goals.
Inger Andersen, the executive director of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), said: 'This report tells us in cold scientific terms what nature has been telling us all year through deadly floods, storms and raging fires: we have to stop filling our atmosphere with greenhouse gases, and stop doing it fast.
'We had our chance to make incremental changes, but that time is over. Only a root-and-branch transformation of our economies and societies can save us from accelerating climate disaster.
'It is a tall, and some would say impossible, order to reform the global economy and almost halve greenhouse gas emissions by 2030, but we must try,' she said. 'Every fraction of a degree matters: to vulnerable communities, to ecosystems, and to every one of us.'
The UN secretary general, António Guterres, said: 'Emissions remain at dangerous and record highs and are still rising. We must close the emissions gap before climate catastrophe closes in on us all.'
Prof David King, a former UK chief scientific adviser, said: 'The report is a dire warning to all countries – none of whom are doing anywhere near enough to manage the climate emergency.'
'It's another year squandered in terms of actually doing something about the problem,' the report's lead author, Anne Olhoff, said.
'That's not to say that all nations have not taken this seriously. But from a global perspective, it's definitely very far from adequate.'
Currently, cars account for 12 per cent of all CO2 emissions in the EU, while transportation overall accounts for around a quarter.
Head of the European parliament's environment commission, French MEP Pascal Canfin, said that the negotiations had been finalised and legislation was put in place to stop new CO2 emitting cars.
Their agreement means that they are aiming for 100 per cent zero emission vehicles by 2035 and intermediary phases between 2025 and 2030.
In order for the EU to meet the target of only 1.5C of heating, emissions must fall by about half by 2030.
But current plans being put in place to target climate change may not be enough, and may only achieve a five- to 10-percent reduction in emissions by 2030.
Also, the UN environment agency has revealed that the only way to lessen the impact of the climate crisis is a 'rapid transformation of societies.'
And after analysing the gap between CO2 cuts pledged by countries and what needs to be done to limit rise in global temperature to 1.5C, it said that progress has been 'woefully inadequate.'
Despite the bleak new report, Downing Street announced Thursday that Sunak will not be attending the Cop27 summit in Egypt next month in order to focus on 'other pressing domestic commitments', sparking outrage.
The new report also came as oil giant Shell announced another huge spike in profits - 8.2billion in just three months - without paying a penny in windfall tax.
After the negotiations on combustion-engine cars, Mr Canfin had tweeted: 'Historic EU decision for the climate which definitively confirms the target of 100 percent zero emission vehicles in 2035 with intermediary phases between 2025 and 2030.'
A spokesperson for the Czech presidency of the EU Council also tweeted 'We have an agreement.'
Talks had taken place between representatives of the European Council fronting for the 27 EU countries.
The European Council got underway on Thursday and was set to continue until an agreement was reached.
It comes as the EU takes further steps to move towards a carbon-neutral future- a key pledge by commission chief Ursula von der Leyen.
But not everyone has been fully on board with all of the targets. Conservative lawmakers and Germany showed reluctance on some of them as they fear that there would be a costly burden on EU automakers competing against global rivals with looser targets.
Thursday's agreement to ban cars with internal combustion engines was voted for by the European Parliament in June.
That backed a commission proposal unveiled last year, part of an ambitious climate target to cut emissions by 90 percent by 2035 compared to a 2021 baseline.
It comes as consumers affected by energy costs and greener traffic regulations begin to move away from CO2-emitting models, with around 12 per cent of new cars sold in the EU now electric.
And China, the world's biggest automobile market, wants at least half of all new cars to be electric, plug-in hybrid or hydrogen-powered by 2035.
However, the UN has said that more needs to be done in order to stick to the 1.5 degree target and has said that there is 'no credible pathway to 1.5 degrees in place.'
On Wednesday it warned that current plans to combat climate change leave the world on track to heat by as much as 2.6 degrees this century.
It said that emissions have to fall by 45 per cent this decade in order to limit global warming.
LINK
Looks like the jet setters are off the Egypt COP27 jolly next week to save the planet which will no doubt involve taxing us all more to make the weather better for us all, 10 feet of snow outside your front door, and black outs with no money left in your pockets for heating your homes or food.
You will own nothing and be happy.
- Cars currently account for 12 per cent of all C02 emissions in the EU
- Negotiations finalised to stop new C02 emitting cars by 2035 in the EU
- But emissions need to fall by half by 2030 in order to meet 1.5C heating target
- Plans being put in place may not be enough and may only achieve five to ten per cent reduction in emissions by 2030
By OLIVIA DEVEREUX-EVANS FOR MAILONLINE
EU lawmakers struck a deal on Thursday to effectively ban the sale of new petrol and diesel cars from 2035, with the goal of accelerating the switch to electric vehicles and to combat climate change.
However, the agreement came as scientists warned emissions must fall by 45 per cent this decade to hit the 1.5C target, suggesting even the landmark move will not be enough, and many more measures will have to be taken.
The Emissions Gap report, completed by the United Nations Environment Programme, found that national promises made since last year's COP26 summit in Glasgow would only shave less than one percent off global greenhouse gas emissions by 2030.
Fears continue to grow over climate change, as numerous weather events strike the world, exacerbated by climbing temperatures.
Since the start of the Industrial Revolution, the world has warmed nearly 1.2 degrees.
The Emissions Gap report examines the difference between the planet-heating pollution that will still be released under countries' decarbonisation plans and what science says is needed to keep to the Paris Agreement goal of limiting warming to between 1.5-2.0C.
Progress on emissions cutting was labelled 'woefully inadequate' by UNEP, a day after the UN's climate change agency said that governments were still doing 'nowhere near' enough to keep global heating to 1.5C.
It stated that the world was 'hurtling towards' a temperature rise far in excess of the Paris goals.
Inger Andersen, the executive director of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), said: 'This report tells us in cold scientific terms what nature has been telling us all year through deadly floods, storms and raging fires: we have to stop filling our atmosphere with greenhouse gases, and stop doing it fast.
'We had our chance to make incremental changes, but that time is over. Only a root-and-branch transformation of our economies and societies can save us from accelerating climate disaster.
'It is a tall, and some would say impossible, order to reform the global economy and almost halve greenhouse gas emissions by 2030, but we must try,' she said. 'Every fraction of a degree matters: to vulnerable communities, to ecosystems, and to every one of us.'
The UN secretary general, António Guterres, said: 'Emissions remain at dangerous and record highs and are still rising. We must close the emissions gap before climate catastrophe closes in on us all.'
Prof David King, a former UK chief scientific adviser, said: 'The report is a dire warning to all countries – none of whom are doing anywhere near enough to manage the climate emergency.'
'It's another year squandered in terms of actually doing something about the problem,' the report's lead author, Anne Olhoff, said.
'That's not to say that all nations have not taken this seriously. But from a global perspective, it's definitely very far from adequate.'
Currently, cars account for 12 per cent of all CO2 emissions in the EU, while transportation overall accounts for around a quarter.
Head of the European parliament's environment commission, French MEP Pascal Canfin, said that the negotiations had been finalised and legislation was put in place to stop new CO2 emitting cars.
Their agreement means that they are aiming for 100 per cent zero emission vehicles by 2035 and intermediary phases between 2025 and 2030.
In order for the EU to meet the target of only 1.5C of heating, emissions must fall by about half by 2030.
But current plans being put in place to target climate change may not be enough, and may only achieve a five- to 10-percent reduction in emissions by 2030.
Also, the UN environment agency has revealed that the only way to lessen the impact of the climate crisis is a 'rapid transformation of societies.'
And after analysing the gap between CO2 cuts pledged by countries and what needs to be done to limit rise in global temperature to 1.5C, it said that progress has been 'woefully inadequate.'
Despite the bleak new report, Downing Street announced Thursday that Sunak will not be attending the Cop27 summit in Egypt next month in order to focus on 'other pressing domestic commitments', sparking outrage.
The new report also came as oil giant Shell announced another huge spike in profits - 8.2billion in just three months - without paying a penny in windfall tax.
After the negotiations on combustion-engine cars, Mr Canfin had tweeted: 'Historic EU decision for the climate which definitively confirms the target of 100 percent zero emission vehicles in 2035 with intermediary phases between 2025 and 2030.'
A spokesperson for the Czech presidency of the EU Council also tweeted 'We have an agreement.'
Talks had taken place between representatives of the European Council fronting for the 27 EU countries.
The European Council got underway on Thursday and was set to continue until an agreement was reached.
It comes as the EU takes further steps to move towards a carbon-neutral future- a key pledge by commission chief Ursula von der Leyen.
But not everyone has been fully on board with all of the targets. Conservative lawmakers and Germany showed reluctance on some of them as they fear that there would be a costly burden on EU automakers competing against global rivals with looser targets.
Thursday's agreement to ban cars with internal combustion engines was voted for by the European Parliament in June.
That backed a commission proposal unveiled last year, part of an ambitious climate target to cut emissions by 90 percent by 2035 compared to a 2021 baseline.
It comes as consumers affected by energy costs and greener traffic regulations begin to move away from CO2-emitting models, with around 12 per cent of new cars sold in the EU now electric.
And China, the world's biggest automobile market, wants at least half of all new cars to be electric, plug-in hybrid or hydrogen-powered by 2035.
However, the UN has said that more needs to be done in order to stick to the 1.5 degree target and has said that there is 'no credible pathway to 1.5 degrees in place.'
On Wednesday it warned that current plans to combat climate change leave the world on track to heat by as much as 2.6 degrees this century.
It said that emissions have to fall by 45 per cent this decade in order to limit global warming.
LINK
Looks like the jet setters are off the Egypt COP27 jolly next week to save the planet which will no doubt involve taxing us all more to make the weather better for us all, 10 feet of snow outside your front door, and black outs with no money left in your pockets for heating your homes or food.
You will own nothing and be happy.