Source: Manfred Weber, Chairman of the EPP Group

Original text has been edited by AALEP

Europe was the driving force behind the Paris Agreement. Since then, despite the exit of the United States from the agreement all together, world awareness of the clear scientific consensus has grown: Climate change is the top priority of our time. Europe must continue leading the world in the fight against climate change, as time is running out.

Source: Politico EU Influence 13/12/2019

BIOTECH LOBBY: Four of Europe’s biggest agrochemical companies — Corteva, Bayer, Syngenta and BASF — are cutting ties with EuropaBio, the lobbying group that represents them on biotechnology issues in Brussels, after nearly two decades. The move opens up the possibility that they could set up a new lobbying operation in Brussels after their contracts with EuropaBio expire at the end of next year.

Article I of the U.S. Constitution grants the House of Representatives the sole power of impeachment, and if the House does impeach, the Senate the “sole power to try all impeachments.” It also provides that the Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court will preside if the trial involves a president. The Constitution authorizes the Senate to “determine the rules of its proceedings,” including additional rules governing an impeachment trial by the Senate. The Senate has established and may modify its own rules supplementing these constitutional requirements.

In the EU, passenger-kilometres grew by 20% between 2014 and 2017, and by 60% from 2005. At the same time, full-flight CO2 emissions grew 10% and 16% respectively. Interestingly, the role of air transport for freight is less important and makes up a relatively small percentage of air transport, although this is also a growing sector. Aviation accounts for about 3.6% of the EU’s total greenhouse gas emissions – 96% more than it did in 1990, despite significant improvements in aeroplanes’ energy efficiency.

Source: Authors: Lucas Graves and Federica Cherubini

Source: Reporters without Borders

The criteria evaluated are

Fossil fuel production is on the rise globally, in stark contrast to the climate goals outlined in the Paris Agreement, which require both oil and gas production to decline significantly.

Global governments plan to produce 120 percent more fossil fuels by 2030, drastically at odds with the 1.5 degrees Celsius warming limit they all agreed to under the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement. All major fossil fuel-producing nations—including the United States, China, Russia, Saudi Arabia, India, Canada, and Australia have ambitious plans to increase production.

By extending Russian sanctions until mid July 2020, Brussels has once again missed the opportunity to rethink its approach towards Russia.

1. Designing a set of deeply transformative policies

1. Proposal on a European 'Climate Law' enshrining the 2050 neutrality objective. Indicative Timetable: March 2020
2. Comprehensive plan to increase the EU 2030 climate target to at least 50% and towards 55% in a responsible way. Indicative Timetable: Summer 2020.