The Challenge
The diversity and multi-level governance of 28 Member States in the
European Union provide a challenging context for Europe’s climate
policies. Experience in the energy, climate, and efficiency fields has
shown that robust targets and effective enforcement mechanisms are
necessary to provide a clear direction for EU climate policies.
Currently, the 2020 ‘rudder’ is in limbo: the overall greenhouse gas
(GHG) target for 2020 was already achieved by 2012, mainly as a result
of the economic crisis and not directly related to the two key
implementation tools covering all of Europe’s emissions – the Emissions
Trading System (ETS) and the Effort Sharing Decision (ESD) – are
over-allocated and insufficiently stringent to drive efforts by
governments and the private sector.
The mitigation goals Europe has set for 2020 are indeed low and there is the risk that the next set of 2030 targets reflects business-as-usual with current policies. The end goal for 2050 in itself is weak: governments are aiming for an 80% emissions reduction vs. 1990, while the IPCC concluded that developed countries need to aim for up to 95% to be in line with a 2°C warming scenario by the end of the century. Altogether, this provides limited incentive for strong policies and action on the ground.
Added to this challenge is the fact that over the coming two years, the EU will experience several key national and EU elections along with a change in leadership of the European Commission. These events will likely slow the pace of decision making just when it should be accelerating towards the 2015 climate negotiations.
The mitigation goals Europe has set for 2020 are indeed low and there is the risk that the next set of 2030 targets reflects business-as-usual with current policies. The end goal for 2050 in itself is weak: governments are aiming for an 80% emissions reduction vs. 1990, while the IPCC concluded that developed countries need to aim for up to 95% to be in line with a 2°C warming scenario by the end of the century. Altogether, this provides limited incentive for strong policies and action on the ground.
Added to this challenge is the fact that over the coming two years, the EU will experience several key national and EU elections along with a change in leadership of the European Commission. These events will likely slow the pace of decision making just when it should be accelerating towards the 2015 climate negotiations.
The Opportunity
Europe must demonstrate to the rest of the world that it delivers on its
commitments. Europe’s emissions may be a diminishing part of the
world’s contribution to global warming, but – contrary to the
allegations by some – its role as a model for developing policies and
setting a benchmark for effort remains critical.
Success requires rallying a broad range of actors, not just environmental, but also in the business and trade union sectors, as well as consumer, health, and finance community groups. It also requires equating more effectively Europe’s economic success with a new path towards greater resource efficiency. Finally, it demands targeted activities in key Member States, coordinated with advocacy at EU level as the collective ambition both depends on the Member States’ aspirations and, in turn, influences Member States’ agendas.
http://europeanclimate.org/home/what-we-do/eu-climate-policies/
http://europeanclimate.org/ecf-annual-report-2014/
Success requires rallying a broad range of actors, not just environmental, but also in the business and trade union sectors, as well as consumer, health, and finance community groups. It also requires equating more effectively Europe’s economic success with a new path towards greater resource efficiency. Finally, it demands targeted activities in key Member States, coordinated with advocacy at EU level as the collective ambition both depends on the Member States’ aspirations and, in turn, influences Member States’ agendas.
http://europeanclimate.org/home/what-we-do/eu-climate-policies/
http://europeanclimate.org/ecf-annual-report-2014/
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