A more ambitious EU plan to tackle climate change could create 420,000 new jobs in Europe by 2030, against only 70,000 with the current plan, and could save up to 46,000 lives per year (against 6,000), points out a new study commissioned by CAN (Climate Action Network, a network of NGOs) and broadcast by various associations on Tuesday. The EU formally adopted its policy (Intended Nationally Determined Contributions) in conjunction with COP21 (Paris conference on climate change) in December, pledging to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by at least 40% compared to 1990, before 2030. The US, which produces 12% of the world's emissions, should follow this lead on Tuesday, although they had already set their sights on reducing emissions by between 26 and 28% between 2005 and 2025. China, which represents 25% of world emissions, has not yet announced its pledge, but did promise to stabilise levels by 2030. The USA and China unexpectedly signed an agreement on climate change in November 2014.
But these goals are not ambitious enough, highlight CNCD 11.11.11 (national centre for cooperation and development), Greenpeace, WWF, Bond Beter Leefmilieu, IEW (Wallonia inter-environment federation), and Oxfam Solidarity, after reviewing a new study commissioned by CAN (Climate Action Network of NGOs) at the New Climate Institute. Indeed, if the various pledges mentioned could follow international recommendations on maintaining global warming below the 2°C bar more closely, benefits would soar.
If the EU added measures to limit global warming below 2°C and to switch to 100% renewable energy sources to its pledge, 420,000 new jobs could be created in Europe by 2030 (only 70,000 with the current plan), and could save up to 46,000 lives per year (6,000 with current plan) and "savings of over 156 billion euros per year from the reduced cost of importing fossil fuels (instead of 27.5 million euros)", according to the report.
(Source: Belga)
