Thirty countries have today at the climate summit in Katowice (COP24) is called up to the pace of the fight against climate change to accelerate. The netherlands and Luxembourg, co-signatories of a Benelux declaration to the European Union for more klimaatambitie, also signed this text. Belgium was (still) not able to sign, by the absence of the agreement of the Flemish government.
The declaration of this ‘High Ambition Coalition” was provisionally signed by 26 countries, including Canada, Costa Rica, Denmark, Fiji, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Spain, the United Kingdom, New Zealand. European Commissioner Cañete signed the text also. the
Belgium was not capable. “Brussels, Wallonia and the federal government agreed with the text,” said federal minister of Energy, Environment and Sustainable Development Marie-Christine Marghem to Belga. “Flanders should think about this, and has not said ‘no'”. So it seems that the door ajar stays for a later signing of Belgium.
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Flemish deputy Willem-Frederik Schiltz (Open Vld) condemned the attitude of the Flemish government, and especially of N-VA. He accused the party of “slow down” and “sabotage”. Colleague Bruno Tobback (sp.a) described the situation as “embarrassing”. the
“Belgium is again with the buttocks exposed on the summit on climate change”, responding environmental organization Greenpeace. “This is a yet another middle finger from our government to the 75,000 will be delivered to Belgians who ten days ago came on the street to more klimaatambitie to requirements,” said spokesman Joeri Thijs.
“Everyone points to each other”
The Flemish government, and especially N-VA, is the major blocking factor for ambitious climate policy. But this is a collective failure of all political leaders. Federal minister Marghem has never tried to remove blocks to eliminate or compromises to forge between the regions. Everyone points to each other. Who klimaatambitie stands in the way and only the interests of some large companies should bears a heavy historical responsibility”, says Thijs.
