European Council on climate change: Vague messages, no concrete measures
© © WWF-Canon / Mauri RAUTKARI
Drought in Eastern Africa is becoming worse because of climate change
The European Council opted for vague messages on most of the essential issues blocking international climate change negotiations today, further diminishing hopes on strong European leadership in the global fight against climate change.
“It is especially frustrating that no clear European financial offer to developing countries has been agreed, and that the increase in CO2 emission reduction targets is made conditional upon comparable efforts by other developed countries“, says Jason Anderson, Head of EU Climate and Energy Policy at WWF.
"Europe is being particularly relaxed on mid-term emissions reductions - in order to reach its current 20% reduction pledge, it would actually have to slow the current pace of emissions reductions. What kind of signal about being ambitious on climate is Europe sending to the rest of the world ahead of Copenhagen?"
“We do welcome the new goal of CO2 emission reductions in Europe of 80-95% by 2050: the upper end is in line with what’s needed. To meet that goal, however, we have to pick up the pace.“
The EU’s emphasis on the need for a legally binding agreement is a step in the right direction as is introducing language around innovative financing. This can give impetus to the upcoming United Nations Climate Change Negotiation in Barcelona from 2-6 November as well as the EU-US summit on 3 November which also has climate change as one of the main items on its agenda.
Pranab Hazra
November 2, 2009 - 16:37
James S. Klich II
November 2, 2009 - 00:33