The EU should double its climate change reduction targets to do its fair share in keeping the planet below a dangerous level of global warming, the Swedish activist Greta Thunberg has told political and business leaders in Brussels. Flanked by students from the Belgian and German school strike movements, the Swedish teenager said it was not enough to hope that young people were going to save the world. “There is simply not enough time to wait for us to grow up and become the ones in charge,” she said, citing the fall in greenhouse gas emissions that was needed by 2020. The EU wants to cut greenhouse gas emissions by at least 40% by 2030, compared with 1990 levels. “Some people say that is good, that is ambitious; but this new target is still not enough to keep global warming below 1.5C,” Thunberg said, referring to what scientists regard as the preferable upper limit if the planet is to avoid extreme droughts, floods and the bleaching of corals. “This target is not sufficient to protect the future for children growing up today. If the EU is to make its fair contribution to stay within the carbon budget for the 2C limit then it needs a minimum of 80% reduction by 2030, and that includes aviation and shipping.”
Guardian 21st Feb 2019 read more »
