site.btaEurope Can Achieve Prosperous Climate Neutral Economy - DG CLIMA Head Petriccione

September 13 (BTA) - Meeting with the heads of several
parliamentary committees in Sofia on Friday, Raffaele Mauro
Petriccione, head of the European Commission's
Directorate-General for Climate Action, said Europe can develop
a prosperous climate neutral economy.

The meeting was held in the context of the climate strategy for
the EU entitled "A Clean Planet for All: A European Strategic
Long-Term Vision for a Prosperous, Modern, Competitive and
Climate Neutral Economy." Petriccione said the EU has set itself
 an ambitious 50 per cent emission cuts target by 2030. He added
 that Europe has to dramatically modernize its economy in the
coming years by investing in innovation and competitiveness, and
 that to achieve the target, the Member States need a consensus.

GERB MP Ivelina Vassileva, Chairperson of the Environment and
Water Committee, detailed Bulgaria's actions towards achieving
the EU's emission cuts target. A Climate Change Mitigation Act
was adopted in 2015, in line with which a strategy and an action
 plan have been drawn up for the Council of Ministers to adopt.

Vassileva said: "Our position is that the 40 per cent emission
cuts target by 2030 should stay because we believe it is the
possible limit for Bulgaria. We cannot support a larger cut.
Achieving higher targets would require considerable financing."

She said the principle of solidarity should apply to the
countries with lower GDP transitioning towards a low-emission
economy, for which the European Commission should budget
funding. IG/DD