23 Jan 2008 - Brussels,
Belgium - Today the European Commission
presented draft laws to reduce greenhouse
gas emissions in Europe by only 20 per
cent by 2020 compared to 11000 levels.
WWF says that Europe
should have been more determined and aim
at a 30 per cent reduction, in line with
the European Council decisions of March
2007 - which included the option to achieve
30 per cent if other industrialised countries
engaged on climate change too.
A higher target is also
essential to keep global warming below 2
degrees Celsius.
The conservation organisation
says that, as a global leader on climate
change, the European Union should be planning
for success, not for failure, of international
negotiations to cut climate pollution. The
20 per cent target is not even in line with
the latest Bali agreement - that developed
countries should cut emissions by 25 to
40 per cent by 2020. Drastic improvements
of proposed measures are therefore needed
by the European Parliament and Council.
“The European Commission
presented a relatively weak proposal and
not a single European country supported
more ambitious targets,” says Dr Stephan
Singer, Head of European Climate and Energy
Unit at WWF.
“As the European Union
has already reduced its emissions by about
10 per cent since 11000, the 20 per cent
target is much softer than it apparently
looks. Overall, it is a very small effort
to cope with a threat that might lead to
Arctic melting and displacement of millions
of people in developing countries because
of increased floods.”
Similarly, the proposal
still gives too many pollution permits for
free to carbon-intensive industries under
the Emissions Trading Scheme. WWF pleaded
for full auctioning of allowances to reward
cleaner companies as well as to provide
funds for sustainable and clean energy development
and for adaptation to climate change in
developing countries.
On the other hand, WWF
welcomes the target of 20 per cent energy
from renewable sources, including the 10
per cent target for biofuels in the transport
sector. Biofuels have the potential to reduce
greenhouse gas emissions and to benefit
both the EU and developing countries. The
proposed certification system, however,
needs to be beefed up substantially to make
sure biofuels are produced sustainably and
in compliance with social criteria.
WWF asks that the EU
Parliament and Council deal with the proposals
swiftly so that the most important laws
are signed and sealed before the European
elections of 2009.
This will reinforce
the EU position within international talks
at the climate summit in December 2009,
where a global deal must be reached for
emissions reductions after 2012.
Dr. Stephan Singer, Head of European Climate
and Energy Unit at WWF
Claudia Delpero, Communications Manager
at WWF European Policy Office
