With the elections a few days away, the Climate Coalition has pointed out that "the right political climate must form the backbone of future governments." It also encouraged "everyone" to take part in the march for the climate at the closing festival, which has been organised by young people to start from the Tour and Taxi site this Friday (May 24).
"The next five years will be crucial to limiting global warming to +1.5°C. The new legislative assembly will therefore have a decisive role to play in the future of the planet and that of generations to come. To take up this challenge, our governments will have to work together in a coordinated way to reduce drastically our emissions in the short term and achieve full decarbonization in the long term," the Coalition, which brings together 70 Belgian civil-society organizations, stated.
What then have to be future governments' priorities? "On the one hand, it is necessary to improve climate governance by adopting a special climate law (setting out medium and long term Belgian objectives, as well as a strategy to attain them, NDLR) and on the other, to heighten comprehensively the ambitions of the National Energy-Climate Plan 2030 between now and the end of 2019. The plan (aims to reduce greenhouse-effect gases by a minimum of 55% between now and 2030 and achieve decarbonisation well before 2050, NDLR)," the president of the Climate Coalition, Nicolas Van Nuffel, stressed.
"A national plan for the right transition has to be worked out, in collaboration with the various societal actors. Belgium must also honour its international engagements by helping developing countries through the climate funding mechanism," the non-profit organisation wrapped up.
This Friday (May 24), decentralised actions have been organised by young people throughout the country. The high point will be the national climate march, starting at 1pm from Brussels Central station. The demonstrators will meet up at the Tour and Taxi site from 2.30pm for the festival "Make Noise for Climate," with notably Alice on the Roof, Black Mamba and Don Cabron on the bill.
"We are determined to keep mobilised after the elections in order to ensure newly elected MPs make climatic and social justice their priorities. It should be remembered that we are not looking at a campaign issue, but indeed one concerning civilisation itself," Van Nuffel again warned.
The Brussels Times
'The next five years will be crucial to limiting global warming,' warns climate group
