Europe must show "much greater ambition" for climate change, as its overall greenhouse gas emissions are still increasing – so the bloc's countries must urgently adopt large-scale recycling, improve air quality and invest more in solutions to preserve the environment, according to a UN report published on Wednesday (5).

The cuts in emissions, mainly in Western European countries, were offset by increases in other parts of the region, according to an assessment of the strategies of 54 European countries by the United Nations.

Air quality is still below what international guidelines recommend, and taxes levied in the name of environmental protection are not being used for the stated purpose, the report, presented to European environment ministers meeting this week in Cyprus, indicates.

"Despite progress in certain areas, governments in the pan-European region must show a much greater ambition in combating climate change," said a statement from the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). "The findings of this assessment should serve as a wake-up call for the region," said Olga Algayerova, executive secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE).

The report states that financial incentives can be offered to increase recycling in places where rates differ significantly between countries and are "particularly low", such as in Eastern Europe and Central Asia. The document also found that while all nations in the pan-European region have made commitments to reduce emissions of gases that cause global warming, the reductions achieved mainly in Western Europe have been offset by increases elsewhere.

The use of renewable energy increased in 29 countries between 2013 and 2017, although overall fossil fuels still account for about 78 percent of total energy consumption, the report said, pointing out that more efforts are needed to deal with air pollution. Forty-one countries recorded a 13% reduction in premature deaths due to exposure to fine particles, but concentrations still exceeded WHO guidelines.

Source: Um só Planeta