While countries responsible for the majority of historical emissions must do more, the world must act together, according to the European Union's climate policy leader, who is currently visiting India
The European Union's climate policy leader, Frans Timmermans, has urged that the India-European Union Trade and Technology Council be used to gain access to the technology and raw materials required for stable green energy supply in order to combat the climate catastrophe.
Timmermans called for a global renewable energy generation goal on the first day of his two-day critical diplomatic mission to India to address developments in carbon reductions and the clean energy transition.
Addressing the ‘Confederation of Indian Industry Annual Session 2023’ here, he said the whole nature of the cooperation between the EU and India should be focused on how “we create the instruments that will allow us to transform our economies and societies in a way that we create sustainable jobs”.
“If you want to depend more on sustainable energy, you have to develop systems which create stability in energy supplies, which means battery systems and green hydrogen systems for which you need electrolysers and new forms of batteries of all scales and sizes. You need to have access to raw materials and technology to develop this. Why don’t we use the India- European Union Trade and Technology Council to focus on these things?” he said.
Timmermans stated that while countries responsible for the majority of historical emissions must do more, the world must act collaboratively.
“All the scientists who have been warning us are even themselves surprised about the way the climate crisis is accelerating, even beyond their most pessimistic analysis. So, if we are to face this, we have to act now on a global scale,” he said.
“The whole preparation for the next (UN climate) conference in Dubai should be focused on how we face this challenge…
“Of course, the historical responsibility of the economies which have been burning fossil fuels for 200 years is bigger. But at the end of the day, if we do not act collectively, we fail collectively,” the Executive Vice President of the European Commission said.
Timmermans stated that while countries responsible for the majority of historical emissions must do more, the world must act collaboratively.
“And if you know what the latest generation of wind turbines can provide… These are massive opportunities. We should be collectively setting a goal on the international stage for how renewable energy we want to generate in a certain timeframe,” he said.