Danish Climate Minister comments on EU climate law proposal

Minister Jørgensen says

”Denmark will pass an ambitious and binding Climate Act in the coming months. The EU should follow suit and pass a European Climate Act. Thus, I am delighted that the Commission has submitted its proposal for a European Climate Act earlier today.

The proposal is a good point of departure. It is pivotal that we set a legally binding target regarding carbon neutrality. Furthermore, the proposal ensures that EU is obligated to act, if it should depart from its path to reach its climate target. However, I have noted that the proposal does not contain a 2030 target. I will work to ensure that such a target is included and that it will aim at a least a 55 % reduction.

By 2020, each country must revisit its reduction target under the Paris Agreement. If the EU is to create a momentum in - and lead the way for - the global climate negotiations, we must be ready to set a more ambitious 2030-target well before COP26 this November. 

To achieve this, Denmark and 11 other member states has submitted a letter to the EU Commission, encouraging them to put forward a plan to announce a more ambitious 2030-goal by June this year. The Commission’s proposal seems to indicate that the plan for a more ambitious European climate target will be put forward in September. In my opinion, this will be too late.

 I hope that the Danish Climate Act will serve as a source of inspiration for the EU Climate Act and I look forward to working on the proposal.”