Throughout his introductory speech, Mr Hoekstra careworn that the Inexperienced Deal lays the inspiration for the EU’s inexperienced transition and underlined that it’s of utmost significance to take care of continuity within the EU’s local weather ambitions. He hopes to make sure this by swiftly concluding pending local weather negotiations and by proposing an bold local weather goal for 2040 within the first quarter of 2024, he mentioned.
Mr Hoekstra emphasised that the EU “can not attain local weather neutrality alone”. International cooperation and local weather finance are key in the course of the upcoming UN local weather change convention COP28, he careworn, vowing to work “continuous for fulfillment in Dubai”. He underlined that constructing a world “Loss and Harm coalition” is essential to lift finance for growing nations and construct belief.
Lastly, Mr Hoekstra careworn the significance of phasing out fossil fuels, in addition to fossil fuels subsidies. “The earlier fossil fuels turn out to be historical past, the higher”, he mentioned, as they’re “counterproductive for the EU’s power transition”.
Questions by MEPs
MEPs requested the Commissioner-designate if he would bear in mind the recommendation of the European Scientific Advisory Committee on Climate Change and decide to current a binding and science-based EU local weather goal for 2040, in addition to an indicative greenhouse gasoline finances for 2030-2050.
Additionally they requested a number of questions on how he noticed EU priorities for the COP28 and key parts of the EU’s local weather diplomacy to make all main emitters be extra bold. They wished to understand how he intends to work for a swift phase-out of fossil fuels subsidies each within the EU and globally consistent with the Paris Agreement.
Some MEPs known as for the adoption of ongoing legislative information to be facilitated, comparable to on CO2 standards for heavy-duty vehicles, EURO7, energy taxation and carbon removals. Others questioned the Commissioner-designate on how he would finance the inexperienced transition. They requested what motion he would take to advertise funding in new clear applied sciences, to make sure EU competitiveness and regulatory certainty whereas upholding EU local weather requirements and to verify the EU’s inexperienced transition is socially balanced. Some requested if he would drastically scale back livestock within the EU and about his views on the EU nature restoration law.
The committees on Trade, Analysis and Power, on Overseas Affairs and on Improvement participated in his listening to.
You’ll be able to watch the complete listening to once more here.
Mr Hoekstra was nominated to exchange Frans Timmermans, who resigned on 22 August, following his resolution to run as a candidate within the forthcoming basic election marketing campaign within the Netherlands.
Subsequent steps
Based mostly on the committee’s suggestions and the evaluation by the Convention of Committee Chairs, the Convention of Presidents will conduct the ultimate analysis and determine whether or not to shut the listening to course of and maintain a plenary vote.
