SUBSCRIBE TO OUR FREE NEWSLETTER
Daily news & progressive opinion—funded by the people, not the corporations—delivered straight to your inbox.
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
Greenpeace activists on Thursday wrap the E.U. summit venue in Brussels with images of giant flames, setting off clouds of smoke, flares and sounding a fire alarm to urge European government leaders to take immediate action to respond to the climate emergency. (Photo: Eric De Mildt/Greenpeace)
Decrying EU Proposal to Address Climate Crisis by 2050 as 'Too Little Too Late,' Greenpeace Activists Stage #HouseOnFire Demonstration
"The world is on fire and our governments are letting it burn."
Dec 11, 2019
Greenpeace activists on Thursday dropped banners and held flares in an attempt to make the Europa building in Brussels, Belgium appear to be on fire as the continent's leaders gathered to address the planetary emergency.
"The world is on fire and our governments are letting it burn," Greenpeace EU director Jorgo Riss said in a statement.
\u201cBREAKING: 61 Activists set the EU summit on fire *figuratively* whilst governments argue about climate targets for...2050. \nBut that\u2019s just too little too late. Our planet is *literally* burning and we need countries to take climate action NOW.\n#HouseOnFire #EUCO\u201d— Greenpeace Belgium (@Greenpeace Belgium) 1576140618
Protesters arrived at the building Thursday morning in a vintage fire engine. The 61 demonstrators came from seven countries, according to Greenpeace EU. Twenty-eight climbers "scaled the summit venue and wrapped the building with images of giant lapping red and yellow flames, setting off billowing clouds of black and white smoke, red distress flares, and sounding a loud fire alarm," the group said in a statement.
WARNING: CLIMATE DELAYERS INSIDE
European leaders are stuck discussing climate targets... for 2050?!
If we don't decrease EU emissions to at least 65% by 2030, it's going to be very difficult to get to zero by 2040 #HouseOnFire #EUCO #ClimateEmergency #COP25 pic.twitter.com/MEqx4kzRwX
-- Greenpeace EU (@GreenpeaceEU) December 12, 2019
It's a big week for the climate crisis in Europe as the region's leaders are debating action at both the United Nation's COP 25 gathering in Madrid, Spain and the European Union summit in Brussels.
According toThe Associated Press, E.U. Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen is fighting to get support for a carbon-neutral plan, but is facing particular resistance from Poland, Hungary, and the Czech Republic who object to a clean energy transition by voicing cost concerns.
To get the support of all E.U. members, von der Leyen on Wednesday unveiled a new "European Green Deal" she called a "master plan," with an offer of some 100 billion euros ($130 billion) in public and private funds to help the fossil-fuel reliant E.U. nations make the transition to lower emissions.
"It's not enough for them to commit to a climate neutral E.U. in 2050," said Riss. "The presidents and prime ministers in Brussels today will be long gone by then. What counts even more is the urgent action they take now, while they are in power."
\u201cIn this very building, Leaders of EU countries are currently discussing what climate actions to take by\u2026 2050.\ud83d\ude1f\n\nBut that\u2019s just too late! We have no more time for delays.\n\nSo activists today sent them a taste of #ClimateEmergency, to say ACT NOW!\n\n#HouseOnFire #EUCO #COP25\u201d— Greenpeace (@Greenpeace) 1576150555
Fifty of the demonstrators, including all 28 climbers, were arrested.
Join Us: News for people demanding a better world
Common Dreams is powered by optimists who believe in the power of informed and engaged citizens to ignite and enact change to make the world a better place. We're hundreds of thousands strong, but every single supporter makes the difference. Your contribution supports this bold media model—free, independent, and dedicated to reporting the facts every day. Stand with us in the fight for economic equality, social justice, human rights, and a more sustainable future. As a people-powered nonprofit news outlet, we cover the issues the corporate media never will. |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
Greenpeace activists on Thursday dropped banners and held flares in an attempt to make the Europa building in Brussels, Belgium appear to be on fire as the continent's leaders gathered to address the planetary emergency.
"The world is on fire and our governments are letting it burn," Greenpeace EU director Jorgo Riss said in a statement.
\u201cBREAKING: 61 Activists set the EU summit on fire *figuratively* whilst governments argue about climate targets for...2050. \nBut that\u2019s just too little too late. Our planet is *literally* burning and we need countries to take climate action NOW.\n#HouseOnFire #EUCO\u201d— Greenpeace Belgium (@Greenpeace Belgium) 1576140618
Protesters arrived at the building Thursday morning in a vintage fire engine. The 61 demonstrators came from seven countries, according to Greenpeace EU. Twenty-eight climbers "scaled the summit venue and wrapped the building with images of giant lapping red and yellow flames, setting off billowing clouds of black and white smoke, red distress flares, and sounding a loud fire alarm," the group said in a statement.
WARNING: CLIMATE DELAYERS INSIDE
European leaders are stuck discussing climate targets... for 2050?!
If we don't decrease EU emissions to at least 65% by 2030, it's going to be very difficult to get to zero by 2040 #HouseOnFire #EUCO #ClimateEmergency #COP25 pic.twitter.com/MEqx4kzRwX
-- Greenpeace EU (@GreenpeaceEU) December 12, 2019
It's a big week for the climate crisis in Europe as the region's leaders are debating action at both the United Nation's COP 25 gathering in Madrid, Spain and the European Union summit in Brussels.
According toThe Associated Press, E.U. Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen is fighting to get support for a carbon-neutral plan, but is facing particular resistance from Poland, Hungary, and the Czech Republic who object to a clean energy transition by voicing cost concerns.
To get the support of all E.U. members, von der Leyen on Wednesday unveiled a new "European Green Deal" she called a "master plan," with an offer of some 100 billion euros ($130 billion) in public and private funds to help the fossil-fuel reliant E.U. nations make the transition to lower emissions.
"It's not enough for them to commit to a climate neutral E.U. in 2050," said Riss. "The presidents and prime ministers in Brussels today will be long gone by then. What counts even more is the urgent action they take now, while they are in power."
\u201cIn this very building, Leaders of EU countries are currently discussing what climate actions to take by\u2026 2050.\ud83d\ude1f\n\nBut that\u2019s just too late! We have no more time for delays.\n\nSo activists today sent them a taste of #ClimateEmergency, to say ACT NOW!\n\n#HouseOnFire #EUCO #COP25\u201d— Greenpeace (@Greenpeace) 1576150555
Fifty of the demonstrators, including all 28 climbers, were arrested.
Greenpeace activists on Thursday dropped banners and held flares in an attempt to make the Europa building in Brussels, Belgium appear to be on fire as the continent's leaders gathered to address the planetary emergency.
"The world is on fire and our governments are letting it burn," Greenpeace EU director Jorgo Riss said in a statement.
\u201cBREAKING: 61 Activists set the EU summit on fire *figuratively* whilst governments argue about climate targets for...2050. \nBut that\u2019s just too little too late. Our planet is *literally* burning and we need countries to take climate action NOW.\n#HouseOnFire #EUCO\u201d— Greenpeace Belgium (@Greenpeace Belgium) 1576140618
Protesters arrived at the building Thursday morning in a vintage fire engine. The 61 demonstrators came from seven countries, according to Greenpeace EU. Twenty-eight climbers "scaled the summit venue and wrapped the building with images of giant lapping red and yellow flames, setting off billowing clouds of black and white smoke, red distress flares, and sounding a loud fire alarm," the group said in a statement.
WARNING: CLIMATE DELAYERS INSIDE
European leaders are stuck discussing climate targets... for 2050?!
If we don't decrease EU emissions to at least 65% by 2030, it's going to be very difficult to get to zero by 2040 #HouseOnFire #EUCO #ClimateEmergency #COP25 pic.twitter.com/MEqx4kzRwX
-- Greenpeace EU (@GreenpeaceEU) December 12, 2019
It's a big week for the climate crisis in Europe as the region's leaders are debating action at both the United Nation's COP 25 gathering in Madrid, Spain and the European Union summit in Brussels.
According toThe Associated Press, E.U. Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen is fighting to get support for a carbon-neutral plan, but is facing particular resistance from Poland, Hungary, and the Czech Republic who object to a clean energy transition by voicing cost concerns.
To get the support of all E.U. members, von der Leyen on Wednesday unveiled a new "European Green Deal" she called a "master plan," with an offer of some 100 billion euros ($130 billion) in public and private funds to help the fossil-fuel reliant E.U. nations make the transition to lower emissions.
"It's not enough for them to commit to a climate neutral E.U. in 2050," said Riss. "The presidents and prime ministers in Brussels today will be long gone by then. What counts even more is the urgent action they take now, while they are in power."
\u201cIn this very building, Leaders of EU countries are currently discussing what climate actions to take by\u2026 2050.\ud83d\ude1f\n\nBut that\u2019s just too late! We have no more time for delays.\n\nSo activists today sent them a taste of #ClimateEmergency, to say ACT NOW!\n\n#HouseOnFire #EUCO #COP25\u201d— Greenpeace (@Greenpeace) 1576150555
Fifty of the demonstrators, including all 28 climbers, were arrested.
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.