Report Says EU Will Exceed Emission Reduction Targets

A recently released report by the European Environment Agency (EEA) showed that the EU-15 (Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom) are on track to meet their Kyoto Protocol commitments to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The Kyoto Protocol requires that the EU-15 reduce average emissions eight percent below 1990 levels from 2008 to 2012. The EU-15 will reduce emissions more than 13 percent, according to the latest projections. Five EU-15 members (Britain, France, Germany, Greece and Sweden) already exceeded the eight percent target.

The report says reductions will be achieved through trading emission allowances in the EU trading scheme and forestry activities that absorb carbon. The report sees a number of factors contributing to the EU-15 reducing emissions by 13 percent:

Existing policies and measures (6.9 percent)
Member states implementing additional measures as planned (8.5 percent)
Using Kyoto’s flexible mechanisms (2.2 percent)
Enhanced carbon sinks absorbing carbon (1.4 percent)

According to the report, the emissions reductions “far exceed” the EU-15’s commitments. The report says, “This is taking place without the full impact of the economic crisis yet being evident in the figures. This shows that considered policies and concrete measures are effective in the fight against climate change.”

The report did not take the recession into account. A press release announcing the report states that the “the recession could bring about further cuts in emissions.”

EEA director, Jacqueline McGlade said, “It is encouraging that Europe’s climate-changing emissions are expected to continue decreasing, outperforming the objectives set by the Kyoto Protocol. Such an accomplishment should encourage all countries to agree on much larger reductions of global emissions, sealing a global deal in Copenhagen this December. Commitments to deep emission cuts are urgently needed to preserve our chances to keep planetary temperature increases below 2ºC.”

Read more: global warming

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pierluigi b.

1:26AM PST on Dec 28, 2009

Thanks for the article!

send a green star

Teresa W.

11:19AM PST on Dec 5, 2009

That's a pity. :-(

Lilith G.

11:12AM PST on Dec 1, 2009

Thanks for the info.

JE L.

3:14PM PST on Nov 29, 2009

Woohoo for the EU! As a Canadian, I am ashamed at our poor performance. I hope this will help force us to do better.

Jeanne M.

4:39PM PST on Nov 24, 2009

Nice going, Europe - maybe your example will inspire us here in North America.

Dmitry B.

2:54PM PST on Nov 24, 2009

Good Job Europe!

KJ N.

8:54AM PST on Nov 23, 2009

This report amazes me because 2 years ago my information suggested that the world was not going to meet the Kyoto targets. They seemed to have been forgotten about. If this could be true then it is such a boost, especially beofre Copenhagen. I agree with the comment that it is better to take action now and reap future rewards than continue to rape the earth and repent at leisure. Cap and trade is there to salve consciences. Mother Nature doesn't accept dollars/lira/yen, euros or pounds.

Has nobody noticed that NASA bombed the moon? Whilst patting themselves on the back about finding grit filled water no-one mentioned the fact that destroying another planet is not the reward for stripping this one.

Paul P.

6:00AM PST on Nov 23, 2009

Lisa B, intereresting article, what's your opinion of the following? I haven't formed one, but thought it was worth bringing up on this thread:

This is interesting, a friend sent it to me today. Interested in thoughts of those who support changes for Global Warming. Also, opinion of the source of the article. Here's the link on Care2:

http://www.care2.com/news/member/735593191/1312118

4:23PM PST on Nov 22, 2009

Lisa B.,

I agree with encouraging innovation, but you know me well enough to know that when I hear central government or central planning, I'm probably going to like the idea but not the implementation. I guess I'm skeptical of the ability of any party at the Federal level successfully doing the right thing.

Granted, some things have to be at the Federal level. But, if they can't keep the interstates up to date, and if Amtrak loses an average of $5 per passenger, the case could be made that between the lobbyist and misplaced priorities, central planning here in the US may not be a viable answer.

I do like your ideas though, it's just the central gov't part that concerns me. Of course, I'm not in a position of power anyway so it's just my opinion.

Teresa M.

1:36PM PST on Nov 22, 2009

MAN IS THE CAUSE FOR GLOBAL WARMING !!