By Alexandra Attalides
The effects of climate change are evident making it indisputable. The planet is overheating, desertifying and burning, glaciers are melting and sea levels are rising, entire ecosystems and many animal species are threatened with extinction. Our actions are a virus which harming the planet. Therefore, the need for immediate action, before the situation reaches a point of no return, is imperative.
According to the 2019 Eurobarometer on climate change, citizens, and especially young people, are calling for climate change to be a top priority for the European Parliament and believe that their anti-climate change protests will have great political influence.
The European Parliament, attuned with citizens, adopted a resolution in November declaring a European and global climate and environmental emergency.
In response to MEPs' demands, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen presented the European Green Deal at an extraordinary EP plenary session in Brussels on 11 December. The deal provides a roadmap of actions with measures, reforms and financial instruments to help Member States participate in the "first environmental revolution".
MEPs' first reactions and positions on the European Green Deal were, for the most part, positive and moderately optimistic. The Leaders of Parliament's political groups presented their views and concerns on how to ensure that the expected "European climate legislation" will be financed and implemented in a financially and socially balanced way. During his speech at the European Council meeting, the President of the European Parliament David Sassoli supported the Commission's two legislative initiatives to create the first "European climate law" and the Fair Transition Fund. He called on the European Council "“I urge the European Council to assume its own responsibilities without delay and to set as of today the same goal of climate neutrality, to be achieved by 2050.”.
The European Parliament, guided by the will of the European citizens and particularly young people, will be instrumental in trying to make Europe the first climate-neutral continent by 2050 and incorporate it into the Commission's draft by adopting a resolution during the plenary session on 13-16 January 2020.
