EU: Up your targets

Youth from Durban in Brussels took action during the Heads of States meeting in Brussels, demanding strong and equitable action on climate change.

(c) Adela Nistora

>> PRESS RELEASE

“EUROPEAN YOUTH DEMAND CLIMATE JUSTICE: HAVE YOU SEEN EU LEADERSHIP?”

Brussels, 8 December – 20 young citizens from 10 European countries called for the EU to commit to at least 40% emissions reductions on 1990 levels by 2020, at a protest near the European Council building in Brussels today.

The young people danced and sang, raising a banner over the Council building using helium balloons, as EU heads of state met for the European Council meeting. Energy efficiency, one of the issues on the Council agenda, is supported by the activists as a way of achieving real reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.

The event reminded EU leaders of their responsibility to push for a strong commitment to the Kyoto Protocol with higher domestic emissions reductions targets and a rejection of carbon trading.

‘We need less emissions and more ambition’, said Conrad Richardson, spokesperson for the activists. ‘The EU must support a strong second commitment period to the Kyoto Protocol based on legally binding emission reduction targets for industrialised countries, without carbon trading.’

The event in Brussels took place in solidarity with similar events being held today in Durban and across the globe which highlighted the role that EU leadership can play in the UN negotiations.

‘Energy efficiency in Europe is essential to achieve the 40% reduction in emissions required to halt the effects of climate change across the globe’, noted Richardson.

ENDS

Note to editors:

High resolution images of the action are available below (free from copyright).

European young citizens took part from: Belgium, Croatia, Cyprus, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Poland, Sweden, Ukraine and the UK.

CONTACT for further information, or to arrange interviews:

Jamie Gorman

+353 86 085 3067

jamiecgorman@gmail.com