Here's an idea: why not put a small tax on banks and the financial sector that in return could generate billions of support to tackle poverty and climate change. That's how a diverse coalition of development organizations, environmental groups and trade unions started the Robin Hood campaign around a year ago. 

 

The campaign aimed to reenergize the discussion around the introduction of a financial transaction tax in Europe. While European leaders again and again wiggled their way out of committing to such a tax by stating that it would not make any economical sense to take the lead for Europe in case other economies around the world would not introduce a similar system the campaign gained it's first remarkable win today when the European Parliament voted in favor for such a tax even if other economies would not make similar commitments at the moment.

 

To European climate activists the problem of having to convince European leaders to take a leadership role and make the first move sounds painfully familiar. For the last year's the climate target of the European Union is a rather quirky one:  yes we will commit to reducing our emissions by 30% by 2020 but just if others make similar commitments, if they don't, well that's unlucky than. Although due to the economical recession a 20% reduction target by 2020 doesn't really mean a lot more than business as usual and many reports have been issued on how a move to an at least 30% target would not hurt the EU economically it looks like when it comes to climate change targets the EU continues to shy away from being brave and making the first step as the also today announced 2050 Roadmap for building a competitive low carbon Europe indicates. From now on we are playing the game we move 25% and we could move up to 30% reduction of our emissions by 2020 but just if others move with us. Come on EU, someone needs to move, and we know it's unlikely to be our friends on the other side of the pond, so why not you?

 

It's great to see that at least on some issues European institutions are brave enough to make the first move and it's even better to hear about all those European citizens that helped bringing the Robin Hood tax onto a promising road to success by coming together and asking their MEPs and politicians for support. So here's an idea: why not building a broad coalition to help the EU to deepen their ambition of becoming a first mover of innovative and ambitious policies when it comes to climate change? It definitely would not heart to keep a very close eye on how the debate around the EU low carbon Roadmap develops as our friends from the Robin Hood tax showed us so nicely change can happen but we need to work together to make it happen.