After marathon talks in Brussels, the leaders of European Union member states — bar Poland — agreed early Friday to commit to going carbon neutral by 2050.

"We have reached an agreement on climate change, it is very important, it was crucial, for Europe to show strong ambition," EU Council President Charles Michel said.

The summit was the first since European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen unveiled her "European Green Deal" — a plan to overhaul the EU economy and achieve climate neutrality by the middle of the century.

The 2050 goal is a key commitment under the 2015 Paris Agreement on climate change. In order to meet it, EU countries will have to slash carbon emissions generated by fossil fuels and find ways to offset remaining emissions.

Read more: Net-zero by 2050: What does it mean?

How is climate change affecting Europe? Record-setting heat waves The summer of 2019 saw heat records in Europe broken across the continent. In July, Germany recorded its highest temperature ever at 42.6 C (108 F). France broke its heat record twice in 2019, the highest temperature measuring 46.C (114.8 F) in July. Climate change increases the frequency of heat waves.

How is climate change affecting Europe? Venice under water In November 2019, the Italian archipelago city of Venice experienced multiple flooding events and the high water mark of 1.5 meters was reached three times in one week for the first time in recorded history. Projected sea level rise due to climate change could make these events more likely in the future.

How is climate change affecting Europe? Wildfires burning Spain The same heat wave that brought record temperatures to France sparked the worst wildfires to hit Spain in 20 years. On the Spanish island of Gran Canaria, wildfires in August decimated a national park on the popular tourist island. Hotter temperatures and drier air due to climate change increase the risk of fires.

How is climate change affecting Europe? German forests dying A combination of drought, storms and extreme heat is depleting Germany's forests. According to BDF, a forest advocacy group, in Germany, more than 1 million established trees have died since 2018. "These are no longer single unusual weather events. That is climate change," said a BDF representative.

How is climate change affecting Europe? Disappearing glaciers in the Alps A glacier on the Italian side of Mont Blanc experienced accelerated melting in 2019. And enthusiasts held a "funeral" for the Pizol glacier in the Swiss Alps, which has almost completely disappeared. Scientists say climate change accelerates glacial melting in the Alps.

How is climate change affecting Europe? Drought affecting food production Two consecutive years of drought in Germany have hit farmers hard. In 2018, record drought caused major crop failures, and heat waves in 2019 also damaged crops. "Climate change means more frequent droughts and extreme weather events in Germany,"said German Weather Service Vice President Paul Becker.



Poland left out

Poland, which gets 80% of its power from coal, resisted the plan during hours of intense debate and was ultimately left out of the commitment.

Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki announced he had secured an exemption from 2050 climate neutrality, but said the bloc had offered generous funding for regions that would be "most affected" by the fossil fuel phaseout.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel told reporters that Warsaw would now have until a summit in June 2020 to decide whether it can commit to implementing the goal.

"There is no division of Europe into different parts, but there is a member state that still needs a bit more time," she added.

The French president's office said EU leaders would work towards getting Poland on board, and that the new "European Green Deal" would be rolled out in the meantime.

Read more: Can carbon trading cut EU emissions to net zero?

Watch video 02:23 Share How to make a Green Deal work Send Facebook google+ Whatsapp Tumblr linkedin stumble Digg reddit Newsvine Permalink https://p.dw.com/p/3Ucyq A Green Deal for Europe: The challenges facing the EU

The Czech Republic had also raised objections to the 2050 carbon neutrality goal, and only agreed to the deal after assurances were made for member states to use nuclear energy to reduce emissions.

Scientists warn that a dramatic shift away from fossil fuels is needed to prevent global temperatures from rising more than 1.5 to 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.

According to a 2018 EU report, the bloc's emissions have fallen significantly over the past two decades but still represent 9.6% of carbon-emitted globally each year.

nm/sms (AFP, dpa, Reuters)

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