COP21: Business and NGOs join forces for an ambitious climate agreement

In a joint statement published on Wednesday, Climate Action Network (CAN) Europe and EUROCHAMBRES, representing 44 million European citizens and 20 million businesses,  call on the EU to put every effort in the climate negotiations in Paris and ensure the adoption of a comprehensive, inclusive and ambitious climate agreement.

Both organisations fully back the EU’s long term vision of global and sustainable climate neutrality and climate resilience and make it unequivocally clear that reducing our carbon footprint is a remarkable opportunity for green growth.

“While our atmosphere is literally on fire, it is important to overcome ideological differences and to focus on the essentials. Paris provides the ultimate opportunity to kick-start much needed global climate action. Missing this opportunity would not only harm our planet, but in the long term also our economy. We therefore call for an ambitious and legally binding international climate regime, in line with the 2°C target” stated Arnaldo Abruzzini, Secretary General of EUROCHAMBRES.

“The Paris Climate Summit must give a clear signal to speed up the transition of the world’s economy away from fossil fuels. Shifting investments towards renewable energy and energy efficiency is an opportunity for growth and jobs.We need the EU to lead by example and accelerate emission reductions globally and at home, to ensure an adequate and urgent response to the climate crisis” – Wendel Trio, Director of CAN Europe said.

Looking beyond the agreement

EUROCHAMBRES and CAN Europe also listed actions they expect from the EU and its Member States to maintain the EU’s role as a pace-setter in the international climate action. Both organisations are convinced that Europe must lead by example, notably by accelerating the cost-effective uptake of renewable energy and energy efficiency measures. Furthermore, the EU should scale up the mobilisation of public and private climate finance, swiftly reform the Emissions Trading System, turn the concept of the Energy Union into precise legislation and develop a market for low-carbon products.

CAN Europe and EUROCHAMBRES believe that this joint statement illustrates the broad consensus within European civil society and the business community and hope that it sends a strong signal to negotiators in the run-up to the summit.