Brussels – Greenpeace EU has slammed the EU’s double standards as the COP26 climate conference draws to a close in Glasgow.

Greenpeace EU director Jorgo Riss said: “The EU’s behaviour at COP26 is the definition of hypocrisy and greenwash. While in Glasgow the EU urged the world to take momentous climate action, back in Brussels EU officials were working hard to keep fossil gas around for decades to come and backed funding for industrial farming and other destructive industries. Over the last two weeks of climate talks, the European Commission has supported fast-track funding for new gas terminals and pipelines, and labelled gas, nuclear energy and industrial farming as sustainable and eligible for green funding. At the same time, EU trade officials are trying to water down a future law to ban products linked to deforestation from the EU market. All this reduces the chances of limiting global heating to 1.5°C even further. It’s a major blow to the EU’s Green Deal and its credibility as a climate leader.””

With talks at COP26 in full swing and Europe in the midst of a spiralling energy crisis, the Commission acted to prolong the EU’s reliance on gas. It backed accelerated permits and funding for 30 gas projects worth €13 billion and kept an open door to funding for future gas projects.

The Commission also supported the inclusion of gas, nuclear energy and industrial farming in the EU taxonomy for green finance, despite their incompatibility with the EU’s climate goals and its “do no significant harm” principle.

After the EU signed a Glasgow declaration to end global deforestation, EU trade officials were also exposed for undermining a future EU anti-deforestation law.

Earlier this year, the International Energy Agency called for an immediate end to investments in all fossil fuels to tackle the climate crisis.

ENDS

For more comment and analysis on COP26, see Greenpeace International

Contact: Greenpeace EU press desk: +32 (0)2 274 1911, [email protected]

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Greenpeace is an independent global campaigning network that acts to change attitudes and behaviour, to protect and conserve the environment and to promote peace. We do not accept donations from governments, the EU, businesses or political parties. Greenpeace has over three million supporters, and 26 independent national and regional organisations with offices in more than 55 countries.

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