ELDR Focus Year

In the joint declaration unanimously approved during the event, the young liberal leaders call on the EU and national European governments to:

1) Take on a firm commitment to achieve at least a 20% reduction of GHG emissions by 2020 compared to 1990 and 70% by 2050 within an international agreed framework;

2) Include more sectors, including transport (aviation, road, maritime) and agriculture, in the EU Emissions Trading Scheme;

3) Persuade all major world emitters (including the US, China and India) to commit to a legally binding pollution-cutting scheme, notably by incorporating where relevant environmental considerations into global trade rules and by further developing the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM);

4) Make sure that at least 1% of their GDP is devoted to environmental policies and investments;

5) Develop consumer awareness about climate change issues through appropriate campaigns;

6) Increase public and private research and development in support of sustainable development technologies, notably renewable energy (wind power, solar energy, hydropower), bio-fuels, and hydrogen, as well as in the field of nuclear waste management and fusion energy;

7) Consider nuclear power as one of the options available for alleviating the risk of global climate change and reducing GHG emissions and further develop non-electrical applications of nuclear energy (such as heat, potable water and hydrogen production):

8) Design appropriate incentives (e.g. tax reduction, eco-labelling) for the private sector and private individuals to invest in new climate-friendly technologies and solutions;

9) Avoid that biofuels production lead to deforestation and food shortage by adding a development sustainability criteria to biofuels imports and production;

10) Adapt policies to deal with the impacts of climate change, adopting a multi-sectoral and multidisciplinary approach, and promote green public procurement.

For the full text of the declaration, please visit this link.