Wednesday in plenary: Climate change, Mahmoud Abbas, car crisis

 

Climate change is "more rapid and more serious in terms of its adverse effects than was previously thought", warns the final report of the Parliament's Temporary Committee on Climate Change. While calling for a "third industrial revolution" and innovation and incorporation of climate change issues in all spheres and policies, the report also urges citizens to become engaged in the fight against global warming.

 

With motivation and not prohibitions everybody can be encouraged to do "little things at home", said German Christian Democrat Karl-Heinz Florenz, who steered the report through Parliament. According to the report, households are responsible for almost 1/5 of the emissions. For more information on the debates click on the link below.

 

 

"We trust you because you are a man of balance and reconciliation and therefore also of peace," Hans-Gert Pöttering said to Mahmoud Abbas, stressing the need for a Palestinian government of national consensus.

 

Mr Abbas spoke of the suffering of the Palestinian people exposed to "military aggression" and "bullying by settlers". He said “the longest military occupation in modern history" must end and backed the 2-states-solution, exchanging "land for peace". He invited the European Parliament to help organise the upcoming Palestinian elections and said national reconciliation was a priority. More details can be found on the link below.

 

 

Debating the crisis in the car industry, most speakers agreed that the industry which employs 12 million Europeans directly and indirectly needs public support. The condition: innovation and sustainability to boost competitiveness. Some MEPs maintained that the industry was already suffering too much to impose new environmental restrictions on it. Click below to read more.