A Decisive Moment for Climate Negotiations - EU Needs to Lead Now

Brussels, Belgium - This week, the European Union’s Economic and Finance ministers, as well as the Environmental ministers are meeting in Brussels to prepare the EU’s common position for the Copenhagen climate talks in December. This position needs to be clear and offer breakthrough solutions for the stalemated UN negotiations.

The United States’ slow process of national decision-taking is dictating the timelines and rhetoric of the talks, risking a meltdown in ambition and outcomes. Meanwhile, the EU is relying on past mitigation actions and vague financing promises, rather than propelling the talks forward by seizing the initiative.

“The European Union presents itself as a leader, but hasn’t truly come to grips with what’s needed. Sticking to what we have achieved so far will not suffice, nor will attempts to push most of our responsibilities on to developing countries. To prove leadership and ensure success in Copenhagen, Europe now has to be bold, not calculating,” said Jason Anderson, Head of European Climate and Energy Policy at WWF European Policy Office.

Measures that need to be taken include an increased EU CO2 emissions reduction goal of 40% below 1990 levels by 2020, and 95% by 2050. Since the EU Council formulated its 30% offer in 2007, many countries have made strides in mitigation plans, but the total effort still falls short of what the science says is needed: the EU has to make its stand and keep pushing ahead.

Developing countries also need our help to fight climate change, as the EU has agreed under the UN climate Convention. They will likely face hundreds of billions of euros in costs per year in the coming decades. The EU’s public funding for adaptation and mitigation must total at least 35 billion euros per year, in addition to existing aid flows.

Today’s launch of WWF’s Climate Solutions 2 highlights the urgency of the situation - we have only five years to initiate a low carbon industrial revolution before runaway climate change becomes almost inevitable.

Measures against climate change need to include renewable energy generation, carbon capture and storage, energy efficiency, sustainable low-carbon agriculture and sustainable forestry. With a clean revolution under way and sustained by a strong policy framework all renewable energies would become competitive with fossil fuels between 2013 and 2025, according to the analysis from Climate Solutions 2.

The window of opportunity is closing. Leaders have to keep in mind that further delays will not only endanger our cities, food supplies, natural environments but will also increase the levels of direct intervention needed in the economy. Industries that come on board later will have to grow considerably faster because of the delays in start-up and will be hit harder by constraints on available resources, labour and expertise.

’The fastest industrial revolution in history will need to occur if we are to change to a low carbon economy in time to prevent climate catastrophe - we need to act today’, concludes Anderson.


Media Contact:
Stephanie Rhomberg, Communications and Press Officer Climate & Energy: +32 495 273 319

Spokesperson:
Jason Anderson, Head of Climate and Energy Policy, WWF European Policy Office: +32 474 837 603