MEPs attribute Rio+20 failure to developing nations

Satu Hassi (Finland), Gerben-Jan Gerbrandy (Netherlands), and Jo Leinen (Germany), said that European nations largely failed to deliver their environmental plans at Rio+20.

This year’s Rio+20 was seen as a failure by environmentalists, with no major agreements being made outside of the largely impotent bill called “The Future We Want”.

The MEPs have credited the failure of Rio+20 to developing nations not wanting to agree to plans that would slow down their impressive rates of growth.

Hassi said, “I think it’s very clear that in countries where a majority of the population is poor, it would be difficult to justify policies that limit economic development while the policies of the rich world can be seen as not accepting limitations.”

In the light of the unsuccessful Rio+20, these MEPs have argued that the European Union now has the chance to coordinate their climate goals with other government polices, such as taxation and international development.

Leinen pointed out that European states need to especially look at tax policies, accusing finance ministers of being “the last ayatollahs” of a damaging system.

He said, “The EU has started to shift to another economic model but I fear the financial crisis is stopping us.”

The MEPs feel that the EU needs to set an example by being more realistic with their trade agreements and by doing more to promote and implement sustainability.