I am aware that during your first term as an MEP you formed part of the temporary committee for Climate Change. What are the European Union and the European Parliament doing to address the phenomenon?

Although it might sound far-reaching, global warming is endangering the future of our world. There are many warning signs. Perhaps we should not rush into a panic yet; we must however begin to understand why global warming is taking place, its consequences and what every one of us can do to alleviate the problem.

We hear of a great deal of reports, but rest assured that one you cannot fail to overlook is the Fourth Assessment Report (AR4) of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). This report bluntly tells us that the Earth’s average surface temperature has risen by 0.76°C since 1850. It is believed that the major contributor to this warming, particularly over the past half century has been caused by emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) and other greenhouse gases.

Together with doing its utmost to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions, the European Union has been a precursor of international efforts to fight climate change. Over the year’s two United Nations climate treaties, the 1992 UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the 1997 Kyoto Protocol were developed, and the EU was extremely influential in their development.

Let me briefly go over what the European Union has been doing over the years after being at the forefront of the previously mentioned treaties. In the year 2000 the European Commission started adopting a wide range of new policies and measures through the European Climate Change Programme (ECCP). The 15 countries that were EU members at the time that the Kyoto Protocol was signed had decided to reduce their emissions in the 2008-2012 periods to 8% below 1990 levels, and projections have been telling us that the EU-15 is on track to meet this target.

However, another more important commitment was made in 2007, where EU leaders agreed on a holistic revamp to climate and energy policy by committing to transform Europe into a highly energy-efficient, low carbon economy. This was a serious commitment to cut emissions by at least 20% of 1990 levels by 2020, backed and implemented by binding legislation.

There is also an offer by Europe to increase the emissions reduction to 30% by 2020 if major emitting countries worldwide follow suit, essentially coming into place in 2013 when the Kyoto’s first commitment would have terminated; with the Copenhagen Accord reached in December 2009 characterising a step towards such an agreement. These were all concerted efforts throughout the years that got tougher, and rightly so.

Now if we are to reach the targets we bound ourselves to attain by 2020, which in some cases are tough, we must also implement measures to generate more energy from renewable sources. The rebates and incentives for widespread use of solar water heaters in private residences, the installation of photovoltaic solar panels by businesses and a smaller number of households and wind energy have made this more realistic and is driving the point for renewable home.

You correctly stated that during my previous legislature I formed part of the temporary committee on climate change within the European Union. Through this committee I realised that a number of leaders around the world have acknowledged climate change as a serious, and in many cases an urgent matter, and this is transmitted into valid attempts by many European countries looking to diminish and ultimately eradicate this problem.

But it is not solely legislation or binding agreement by European leaders that makes the final difference. It is you and I that have to accept the fact that climate change is real, and indeed it is manifesting itself; we therefore have to do our own part. Climate change and maintaining a clean environment are challenges that affect every single one of us, but they are also opportunities for us as a people to solve these problems while re-establishing our planet to being what it really deserves.

David Casa is a Nationalist MEP

[email protected]

www.davidcasa.eu

I am aware that during your first term as an MEP you formed part of the temporary committee for Climate Change. What are the European Union and the European Parliament doing to address the phenomenon?

Although it might sound far-reaching, global warming is endangering the future of our world. There are many warning signs. Perhaps we should not rush into a panic yet; we must however begin to understand why global warming is taking place, its consequences and what every one of us can do to alleviate the problem.

We hear of a great deal of reports, but rest assured that one you cannot fail to overlook is the Fourth Assessment Report (AR4) of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). This report bluntly tells us that the Earth’s average surface temperature has risen by 0.76°C since 1850. It is believed that the major contributor to this warming, particularly over the past half century has been caused by emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) and other greenhouse gases.

Together with doing its utmost to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions, the European Union has been a precursor of international efforts to fight climate change. Over the year’s two United Nations climate treaties, the 1992 UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the 1997 Kyoto Protocol were developed, and the EU was extremely influential in their development.

Let me briefly go over what the European Union has been doing over the years after being at the forefront of the previously mentioned treaties. In the year 2000 the European Commission started adopting a wide range of new policies and measures through the European Climate Change Programme (ECCP). The 15 countries that were EU members at the time that the Kyoto Protocol was signed had decided to reduce their emissions in the 2008-2012 periods to 8% below 1990 levels, and projections have been telling us that the EU-15 is on track to meet this target.

However, another more important commitment was made in 2007, where EU leaders agreed on a holistic revamp to climate and energy policy by committing to transform Europe into a highly energy-efficient, low carbon economy. This was a serious commitment to cut emissions by at least 20% of 1990 levels by 2020, backed and implemented by binding legislation.

There is also an offer by Europe to increase the emissions reduction to 30% by 2020 if major emitting countries worldwide follow suit, essentially coming into place in 2013 when the Kyoto’s first commitment would have terminated; with the Copenhagen Accord reached in December 2009 characterising a step towards such an agreement. These were all concerted efforts throughout the years that got tougher, and rightly so.

Now if we are to reach the targets we bound ourselves to attain by 2020, which in some cases are tough, we must also implement measures to generate more energy from renewable sources. The rebates and incentives for widespread use of solar water heaters in private residences, the installation of photovoltaic solar panels by businesses and a smaller number of households and wind energy have made this more realistic and is driving the point for renewable home.

You correctly stated that during my previous legislature I formed part of the temporary committee on climate change within the European Union. Through this committee I realised that a number of leaders around the world have acknowledged climate change as a serious, and in many cases an urgent matter, and this is transmitted into valid attempts by many European countries looking to diminish and ultimately eradicate this problem.

But it is not solely legislation or binding agreement by European leaders that makes the final difference. It is you and I that have to accept the fact that climate change is real, and indeed it is manifesting itself; we therefore have to do our own part. Climate change and maintaining a clean environment are challenges that affect every single one of us, but they are also opportunities for us as a people to solve these problems while re-establishing our planet to being what it really deserves.

David Casa is a Nationalist MEP

[email protected]

www.davidcasa.eu