Global climate negotiations at COP24: we need to act now

The 24th United Nations climate change conference (COP24) took place from 3 to 14 December in Katowice, Poland. It focused on the implementation of the Paris Agreement (2016) and on advancing the Talanoa dialogue, initiated by the Fijian presidency of COP23 in 2017. The urgent need to act at a global level was also powerfully stressed in the recent special report (October 2018) on the impacts of global warming of 1.5 °C above pre-industrial levels and related global greenhouse gas emission pathways by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).

On 28 November 2018, well in advance of COP24, the European Commission adopted a strategic long-term vision for a climate neutral Europe “A Clean Planet for all”, together with a report on the role of research and innovation in achieving the objectives of the Paris Agreement as well as the R&I priorities for a decarbonised EU policy.

The EUA Energy and Environment Platform (EUA-EPUE) responded to the European Commission Public Consultation on Future climate and energy policy – a Strategy for long-term EU greenhouse gas emissions reductions in October 2018. Our response highlighted the need for an ambitious and comprehensive new strategy to tackle energy and climate challenges. Furthermore, it called for the design of new regulatory frameworks as well as for support of up-to-date and high-quality education programmes to provide access to knowledge for European citizens.