"European Parliament urged to end fossil fuel infrastructure investment", 27 March 2019

A letter signed by 44 organizations was sent to members of the European Parliament on Monday urging them to vote to exclude fossil fuel infrastructure funding from the upcoming European Union Cohesion Policy. The vote for the Cohesion Plan will occur on Wednesday.

The European Commission has proposed net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. If fossil fuels are included in the upcoming Cohesion Plan, it will allow for infrastructure investment until 2027. The letter states that such an investment will “lock-in fossil fuels for many more years and be inconsistent with the imperative to drastically cut greenhouse gas emissions.” ...

The letter comes as there has been a growing movement around the world to call for greater reduction in greenhouse gases. The UN Special Rapporteur on human rights and the environment called for accelerated action to combat climate change in October. In November the US Supreme Court refused to block a lawsuit against the US government over the impact the government’s policies have had on the environment and climate. The Paris Agreement, which obligates countries to cap global warming levels, went into effect in November 2016.