After Obama announced the drastic US CO2 emissions reductions, all global players started moving away from their intransigent conservative positions.
Copenhagen is in play like never before…
The European Union will back substantial emission reduction targets to leverage sufficient commitments and funding that would guarantee a comprehensive agreement in Copenhagen, according to the EU Environment Council.
The E.U. has been actively working on an ambitious, comprehensive and legally binding international climate agreement that will help prevent global warming from reaching dangerous levels of more than 2°C above pre-industrial temperatures according to the same body.
Member states maintained that the goal to lower emissions by 30 percent on 1990 levels should be upheld over the near- and long-term.
The 27-nation Union has committed to reducing emissions by this much; if other industrialized countries adopt the same targets and developing countries, pitch in what they can afford without jeopardizing growth.
At the minimum, the E.U. aims to cut down its by 20 percent by 2020 compared with 1990 levels. It also aims to reduce emissions by 80 percent to 95 percent by 2050.
“The E.U. will push for a comprehensive agreement involving all countries,” Andreas Carlgren, environment minister said.
“For the E.U., Copenhagen is not ‘a step,’ it is the step, it is the milestone in the work on climate change,” he emphasized.
The council met in Brussels for a final review of strategies as the climate change summit from December 7 to 18 draws nearer. Yvo de Boer, United Nation’s climate change chief, briefed the council on the current state of the negotiations during the meeting.
Mr. Carlgren said Copenhagen must serve as the starting point for worldwide action against climate change causes such as deforestation, and that funding to support this should be made available immediately.
“All parties must present sufficient offers on emissions reductions and financing. This applies to both industrialized countries such as the United States and rapidly growing economies such as China,” he stressed.
Now this was announced already and it doesn’t constitute news…
There is EU bureaucracy for You.
But even as old news the CO2 reductions committed to by the EU and it’s member countries; are dwarfed by what the US committed to emissions reductions and CO2 cuts as announced by Obama…today.
And is even dwarfed by what Hu Jintao claimed… for serious greenhouse gases reductions for China.
So we await for something far more substantial from the EU environment Council in the next few days before Copenhagen.
Meanwhile Happy Thanksgiving to all – Friends and foes alike
