Press release - January 28, 2010
Brussels, International — The EU has again missed a valuable opportunity to regain its international leadership on climate by failing to increase its commitment to cut greenhouse gases, preferring instead to simply re-hash its existing pledges, said Greenpeace. In a letter sent to the UN climate secretariat today, the EU has repeated its existing unconditional 20% emissions cut, and only a conditional 30% cut if other countries make comparable pledges.[1] The non-binding so-called Copenhagen accord calls on governments to put their emissions reduction pledges for 2020 on the table by 31 January.
Reacting to the letter, Greenpeace EU climate policy director Joris den Blanken said: "The EU is starting to sound like a broken record. Its back-seat tactics did not work in Copenhagen and they continue to fail today. The only way the EU can exert any international leverage is if it increases its domestic emissions target to 30%."
Den Blanken continued: "The EU misleadingly flaunts its 20% emissions target as a climate gold standard, while in fact it's only half of what is needed. Science requires that we do more, technology shows us that we can do more and economics predicts that we will benefit if we make the effort."
Greenpeace calls on EU leaders who will meet in Brussels on 11 February and 25-26 March to support an upgrade of Europe's unconditional emissions reduction commitment to 30%.
The Copenhagen Accord's stated objective is to "hold the increase in global temperature below 2 degrees Celsius" - widely viewed as a critical upper limit to avoid catastrophic climate change. Current pledges place the world on a path to an increase of average global temperature of over 3 degrees Celsius.
Ensuring that global temperature rise remains under 2 degrees Celsius requires industrialised countries to cut their emissions by 40% below 1990 levels by 2020. In addition, developing nations would need to reduce their projected growth in emissions by 15-30%.
Other contacts:
Joris den Blanken – Greenpeace EU climate policy director:
+32 (0)476 961375 (mobile), joris.den.blanken@greenpeace.org
Mark Breddy – Greenpeace EU communications manager:
+32 (0)496 156229 (mobile), mark.breddy@greenpeace.org
Notes:
[1] To see the letter drafted by the Spanish EU Presidency, please go to: www.greenpeace.org/eu-unit/press-centre/policy-papers-briefings/EU-climate-targets-copenhagen-accord-28-01-10.">http://www.greenpeace.org/eu-unit/press-centre/policy-papers-briefings/EU-climate-targets-copenhagen-accord-28-01-10">www.greenpeace.org/eu-unit/press-centre/policy-papers-briefings/EU-climate-targets-copenhagen-accord-28-01-10.