Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2009-11-24-Speech-2-020"
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"en.20091124.3.2-020"2
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"Mr President, after what you said, I did not expect you to give me the floor, but I will take this opportunity to say two words about the main argument that was put forward for the 30% target.
Of course I agree with Mr Ouzký that we need a global agreement, meaning all the countries of the world participating in a comprehensive agreement and all sectors of the economy to participate in the reductions. And, of course, this must be science-based.
In order to have such a global agreement, in order to persuade other countries to come forward, we have to keep pressing by our example, an example which has its moral importance. The moral leadership of Europe is important, but it also acts as an example by showing that green business is very important for our competitiveness. In yesterday’s Financial Times, there were reports about how European businesses – including very important corporations in the European Union – are gaining from going green and actually foresee, by 2020, that their green business will surpass all the other business. So we have these two ways of pressing other countries to come forward with ambitious commitments and agree in a legally binding agreement.
For the 30% reduction, I have to add the following. First of all, it is in accordance with what science is telling us to do, so it will be sincere on our part to go along with what science is telling us. Secondly, it is cheaper today, much cheaper than when we were discussing our climate and energy package: it is cheaper by about 30-40% now to achieve this target.
Thirdly, it is not just going to give us what Andreas Carlgren said previously, a lever to persuade the others, but also and most important, will be the pressure by example; public opinion around the world will appreciate what the European Union is doing. It will also, as I heard a lady colleague here say, be very important for our technologies. Of course, because it will provide a better price for carbon, which is very low today, and in this way it will be an important incentive for eco-innovation and for development and deployment of new technologies.
Another aspect which is very important is that the European Union is in a privileged position because we already have the legislation you voted which provides the European Union and the Member States with the means and measures to achieve the higher target by just upgrading certain of the caps we have in our legislation."@en1
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