Sanatarkat istuntoselostukset

Tiistai 4. lokakuuta 2016 - Strasbourg

6. Juhlaistunto

  Der Präsident. – Liebe Kolleginnen und Kollegen! Ich darf Ihnen mitteilen, dass der Umweltausschuss unseres Hauses gestern Abend den Bericht über das Übereinkommen von Paris angenommen hat.

(Beifall)

Damit ist die förmliche Voraussetzung dafür erfüllt, dass das Plenum heute über diesen Bericht, den der Kollege La Via uns hier vorstellen wird, abstimmen kann.

Es handelt sich um eine historische Abstimmung, da wir mit der Annahme dieses Textes den letzten politischen Schritt auf dem Weg zur Ratifizierung des Übereinkommens von Paris durch die EU gehen können. Und mit unserer Abstimmung würde der Weg frei gemacht, damit das gesamte Übereinkommen den notwendigen Schwellenwert überschreiten kann, um weltweit in Kraft zu treten. Nicht einmal ein Jahr nach seiner Verabschiedung im Dezember 2015 wäre dies ein herausragendes Ergebnis. Und es käme noch rechtzeitig vor der nächsten COP-22-Klimakonferenz in Marakesch.

Damit hätte die EU – wichtig in diesen Zeiten – Führungskraft bewiesen. Nur zum Vergleich: Zwischen der Verabschiedung und dem Inkrafttreten des Kyoto-Protokolls vergingen acht Jahre. Wir sind jetzt knapp neun Monate nach der Pariser Konferenz. Ich bin daher sehr froh, dass Sie, verehrte Kolleginnen und Kollegen, meinem Vorschlag zugestimmt haben, diese historische Abstimmung in einem angemessenen und feierlichen Rahmen durchzuführen.

Wir sind deshalb sehr geehrt, dass der Generalsekretär der Vereinten Nationen, Herr Ban Ki-moon, bei uns ist, und ich darf Sie, Herr Generalsekretär, der Sie ohne Zweifel einer der großen Architekten dieses historischen Übereinkommens sind, verbunden mit unserer Hochachtung für diese außergewöhnliche Leistung herzlich im Europäischen Parlament willkommen heißen!

(Beifall)

Unser Dank am heutigen Tage gilt aber auch der Französischen Republik, die als Gastgeberin der COP-21-Konferenz enorme politische Anstrengungen unternommen hat, um das Übereinkommen herbeizuführen. Daher freut es mich sehr, dass die amtierende Präsidentin der COP-21-Klimakonferenz unserer heutigen Sitzung beiwohnt, und ich möchte Ihnen, Frau Ministerin Royal, stellvertretend für die gesamte französische Regierung herzlich für Ihre großen Bemühungen danken.

(Beifall)

Der Generalsekretär der Vereinten Nationen, Herr Ban Ki-moon, wird uns nun mit einer kurzen Rede beehren. Danach werden wir die Vorsitzenden der Fraktionen hören und im Anschluss daran zu den Abstimmungsprozeduren schreiten.

  Ban Ki-moon, Secretary-General of the United Nations. – Your Excellency Mr Martin Schulz, President of the European Parliament, Your Excellency Mr Jean-Claude Juncker, President of the Commission, Your Excellency Mr Ivan Korčok, President-in-Office of the Council and State Secretary for EU Affairs, Your Excellency Madam Ségolène Royal, President of COP21, Your Excellency Mr Maroš Šefčovič, Vice-President in charge of Energy Union, Your Excellency Mr Miguel Arias Cañete, Commissioner for Climate Action and Energy, Your Excellency Mr Giovanni La Via, Chair of the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety, honourable EU parliamentarians, Excellencies, distinguished Ministers, ladies and gentlemen, it is a great honour for me, as Secretary-General of the United Nations, to take this opportunity to address once again the distinguished Members of the European Parliament. Thank you for this privilege.

I was not originally planning to come to Strasbourg but I diverted my travel to address you at this crucial time, at the invitation of President Schulz, on the importance of Europe’s ratification of the Paris Agreement on climate change. I deeply appreciate your leadership and engagement.

The European Union has a long and proud record of leadership on climate change – the defining challenge of our time. As Members of the European Union, your countries have demonstrated, time and again, that you not only recognise the seriousness of this threat but you are also ready to seize the opportunities it brings for building more sustainable, competitive economies and stable and healthier societies. From an early leadership role in the UN Framework Convention negotiations, to support for the Green Climate Fund and other funding mechanisms, to your own efforts in scaling-up clean energy, European Union members have stood strong.

Today you have another opportunity to demonstrate global climate leadership. I encourage you to build on your proud legacy and to support the speedy ratification of the Paris Agreement. This would allow the European Union, and its Member States which are in a position to do so, to deposit the ratification instrument at UN Headquarters in New York. Such a swift embrace of an international agreement would be a remarkable achievement at any time. It would be especially impressive for an agreement that addresses one of the most complex and all-embracing issues of our time.

In the past few weeks, we have seen tremendous momentum, from all corners of the globe, to bring the Paris Agreement to life this year. Already this week, India has formally joined the agreement. Thirty-one countries joined the agreement at a high-level event which I hosted at the United Nations on 21 September. Already in September, the world’s two largest emitters, China and the United States, have put their political support behind Paris and formally joined the agreement. I commend all of these governments for their vision and leadership. This means we have crossed the first threshold for entry into force. As of today, we have 62 countries which have joined this Paris Agreement.

Excellencies, honourable parliamentarians, ladies and gentlemen, I understand and respect the unique decision-making process of the European Union. At the same time, I welcome the decision by the EU Environment Ministers on 30 September to act on a fast track. This will enable individual countries to send their ratifications directly to the United Nations. I appeal to you to approve this fast-track procedure. We are on the verge of passing the 55% threshold. You now have an opportunity to make history by helping lead the world to a better future. I can think of no better way to secure the legacy of Paris than to have the agreement enter into force in record time, with the support of the world’s most powerful economies and its most vulnerable countries.

Rapid entry into force would demonstrate anew Europe’s commitment to international cooperation, which is at the heart of the European Union’s identity. It would spur the transformation to the lower-carbon, higher—opportunity, climate-resilient economy that we need in order to keep global temperature increases well below two degrees. And it would help to protect the world’s most vulnerable communities and assist them in adapting to inevitable climate impact. In the name of humanity and for the sake of future generations, I encourage you to support the speedy ratification of the Paris Agreement.

At a time of record heat, let us take historic action. At a moment of divisions on many other challenges, let us show that we are united on the biggest one of all. This is our chance to set a course towards a safer, more sustainable and more just future for all, on a healthy planet. Let us seize the moment and be true to the values and aims of our organisation.

As you may know, my mandate as Secretary-General ends at the end of this year, when I finish my tenure. It has been a great honour for me to serve this invaluable organisation and to work closely with the European Union and the European Parliament. I take this opportunity to express my deepest gratitude for all the wholehearted support you have given to me and to the United Nations over the past 10 years. I sincerely hope that the European Union will continue to lead in supporting the noble missions of the United Nations for human rights, sustainable development and lasting peace in our world. Thank you for your great leadership and your commitment. Let us work together to build a world better for all.

(The House accorded the speaker a standing ovation)

  Der Präsident. – Vielen Dank, Herr Generalsekretär!