European religious groups urge EU to strengthen COP31 climate action

The European Laúdato Si' Alliance (ELSiA) and various European religious organizations are calling on the European Union to strengthen its climate commitments ahead of COP31 in Antalya, Turkey. In a letter addressed to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and other key officials, the groups urge a transition from promises to concrete actions.

The organizations have proposed four primary commitments for the EU. These include accelerating the phase-out of fossil fuels through a binding roadmap to eliminate coal by 2030, gas by 2035, and oil by 2040. They also advocate for a just transition that protects vulnerable workers and communities, and suggest increasing the EU budget allocation for climate and environmental spending from 35% to 50%.