Climate Change

A global problem requiring a global solution

A common effort

The notion that any one nation only contributes a proportion of global greenhouse gases and should therefore adopt a wait-and-see approach, or do nothing, would inevitably lead to the breakdown of international negotiations and a failure to solve one of the 'great challenges of our time'.

A 2 degree vision

The EU's agreed objective is to limit global warming to less than 2 degrees above pre-industrial levels. This is widely seen as the threshold beyond which climate change will become dangerous, bringing much greater risks of irreversible and potentially catastrophic changes in the global environment. Today, the world has already warmed 0.75 of a degree and even if emissions were to drop to zero, the world would continue to warm at least a further 0.6 of a degree, owing to inertia in the system. This underscores the urgency for action if we have any hope of achieving the 2 degree objective.

How do we achieve the 2 degree vision?

There is stong scientific evidence on the urgent need to achieve a peaking of global emissions before 2020 and a steep decline to less than 50% of 1990 emissions levels by 2050 if we are to avoid catastrophic climate change. Copenhagen is our chance for an effective global accord and this level of ambition will be the benchmark against which the world will measure success.

Developed countries need to take the lead and commit to collectively reducing emissions by 30% below 1990 levels by 2020 - by both domestic and international efforts. This is consistent with the IPCC range of 25-40% reduction, but does not mean that every individual developed country target needs to be within the 25-40% range.

This issue of comparability of developed country commitments is an important one and the EU proposes four criteria:

• the capability to pay for domestic emission reductions and to purchase emission reduction credits from developing countries;
• the GHG emission reduction potential;
• domestic early action to reduce GHG emissions; and
• population trends and total GHG emissions.

For developing countries, the latest scientific evidence indicates that they will need to limit their emissions growth to 15 to 30 % below business as usual levels by 2020. Such a limitation would respect the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities. It will still allow developing countries to continue to grow their economies rapidly and to reduce poverty.

The EU does not propose that developing countries commit to targets. Instead each developing country should draw up a Low Carbon Development Strategy which should map out concrete actions to limit their emissions, and indicate what support is required to implement those actions. The strategies should provide the basis for a discussion between the developed country and donors that can support the implementation of those actions.