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The Greens differ from other political groups in that although they often pay lip service to the fight against climate change, we are the only ones who are committed to delivering the solutions which are urgently needed to avoid the extremes of climate change and the disastrous effects on humanity and our planet that they would bring.

If we are to avoid dangerous climate change, we need to seriously reduce our greenhouse gas emissions. The Greens want the EU to commit to emissions reductions of 40% by 2020 and 80-95% by 2050, based on 1990 levels, in line with the current recommendations of the UN IPCC. Europe must also play a leading role in forging a binding international climate agreement under the UN framework based on the latest updated science. This agreement must commit industrialised countries to the necessary emissions reductions, as well as recognising their responsibility to support mitigation and adaptation efforts in developing countries, including reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation, particularly from tropical forests.

Europe must also play a leading role in forging a binding international climate agreement under the UN framework based on the latest science. An agreement that commits industrialised countries to the necessary emissions reductions, as well as recognising their responsibility to support mitigation and adaptation efforts in developing countries.

Combating climate change is a win-win process. A real Green New Deal for Europe means significant investment in green technologies that will create millions of ‘green collar jobs’ in Europe, and millions more worldwide, which are much needed at a time of economic slowdown. We must significantly improve on the currently wasteful way we use energy, while massively expanding energy from renewable sources. This will reduce our dangerous dependence on the import of dirty energy from unstable countries, with the damaging volatility this causes for our economies and societies.

We must capitalise on the already-existing ways to save energy. The Greens want Europe to place much greater priority on energy efficiency, setting a binding target to reduce energy consumption 20% by 2020, as well as supporting and promoting the intelligent design of heating and cooling technology both in industry and in the housing sector.

Renewables must be put at the centre of European energy policy for the 21st Century and the Greens are calling for the creation of a European Renewables Community to this end. We need a concerted investment drive in green technologies in which the European Investment Bank must play a role. A real renewables boom requires a new approach to energy supply: truly unbundling ownership of distribution and production, while promoting a grid without borders and the smarter use of energy.

Nuclear energy cannot be part of the solution to climate change. Expensive investments in this dead-end technology will not be able to contribute to the urgently-needed emissions reductions and will divert much-needed funds from the promotion of sustainable energy production. Uranium is a finite fuel source and the EU is overwhelmingly dependent on imports from unstable countries, so nuclear is clearly not the answer to our long term energy security. On top of this, the associated risks of nuclear are as real now as they have always been, whether in terms of operation, fuel production or managing nuclear waste. This is not to mention the possibility of terrorist attacks and nuclear proliferation to questionable regimes and even rogue groups.

Revolutionising how we use energy and ending our damaging dependence on oil means we must also move green. Transport is the fastest growing source of manmade greenhouse gas emissions. The EU needs to actively work to create a sustainable transport system. Ending the direct and indirect subsidisation of inefficient and polluting transport modes, like shipping, aviation and road transport, is an important step in ensuring the full environmental costs are taken into account. This must go hand-in-hand with the active promotion of more sustainable transport options like public transport, cycling and walking. Freight must be shifted from roads to rail and inland waterways on a much bigger scale. 

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