Ministers, colleagues, Chair,
Let me start by thanking you dear Minister, dear Julie, but also Minister Huang Runqiu and Director-General Xia Yingxin for the excellent cooperation and the fact that we are here together and steering the course of further climate action.
It is hugely important, and I am very grateful to the two co-organisers for their tremendous efforts.
Dear Julie,
I wanted to thank you in particular for being such an excellent host, for having us here, for making sure that we are at a table where you can actually see the other participants.
Given that you were making a remark on the poppy, I just wanted to truly salute the amazing contribution Canada has made throughout the decades in the defence of freedom, which is something we are grateful for.
Ladies and gentlemen,
We are heading into COP30 with a clear vision at a truly important moment.
The geopolitical landscape has rarely been more complex. It is true that we have been saying that at least for the last three, four years, but unfortunately every single year, it was also more true than the year before.
The irony is the planet and our ecosystem do not care whether it is easy or difficult, whether we discuss or not. They only care about actions we take. And we need more of that.
What I would like to once again stress is that the European Union will continue to do its utmost, even under these circumstances, in Belém to uphold its commitment to multilateralism and to the Paris Agreement, which continues to be the absolute cornerstone of our actions, underscoring the progress that has been achieved.
The overall message for all of us is clear: we must do more, and we must do it together. More together.
Our objective should be to continue to move the needle.
First, by enhancing the collective ambition and implementation of our NDCs. Lets make sure we all show to the world that the Paris Agreement is actually delivering and is driving real progress. And that it has not only managed to do so in the ten years we have behind us, but that it is an engine for change and for progress in the years to come.
Second, by providing the right economic incentives through carbon pricing and carbon markets. I salute the very close collaboration we have with China on this, but also with many others around this table and outside of this room.
Pricing carbon and getting carbon markets organised is in all likelihood one of the most effective things humanity can do to tackle this problem. It is non ideological, it is market-based and it is for all the right reasons that many across the globe are moving into this domain, because they see it works. I am very appreciative of all of those who have saught interaction with us on this specific dimension of the problem.
Third, by building resilience, preparedness, and adaptation everywhere — because it is something that is truly needed everywhere. Because a just transition must also protect those on the frontlines of this crisis.
Fourth and last, by reaffirming our commitment to our collective climate finance commitments, including the new goal on climate finance set in Baku, and recognising the need to urgently scale up accessible finance from all sources, in particular for LDCs and SIDS and for adaptation.
On all of this, you can count on us. We will stand firm by our commitments, and we have a clear trajectory for a sustainable future.
We are also on the verge of coming up with a truly ambitious set of tagets for the longer term ourselves.
Next Tuesday, we are going to gather again with all EU climate ministers. I am confident that we will either land at or extremely close to the proposal the Commission has put on the table for a 90% emissions reduction target by 2040, and also the range that we have displayed earlier in the conversations that we had at the UN.
The range is between 66.25% and 72.5% compared to 1990. Hugely ambitious. It will either be this range that will be formalised or a number at the higher end of that range.
That is testimony of not just our oral commitment, but also our factual commitment given the huge impact that such an ambitious target has.
Leadership also means fairness and reciprocity: solidarity must always be matched by responsibility. We very much hope we see ever more leadership from all major economies. That is simply the best and the easiest way to solve our mitigation challenge.
We will continue to work hand in hand with all of you, but in particular also with the Brazilian Presidency, with progressive and vulnerable partners alike, and of course with all major economies.
Dear friends,
It is a moment for courage and cooperation. For proving that multilateralism works — that it can rise above short-term interests and difficult politics to deliver sustainable results for us and all who come after us.
We are very much looking forward to continuing the conversation.
Thank you very much for having us here.
