“Europe alone cannot protect the climate, but without Europe there is no climate protection”, said Mr. Jo Leinen discussing the After Copenhagen vision for the EU. While many see the Copenhagen Summit a failure, he focused on what can still be seen as positive of it – the EU must now build trust among emerging economies and developing countries, show leadership and ambition and develop “climate diplomacy”.
On 3 March, 2010 European Policy Centre invited Mr. Jo Leinen, MEP, Chairman of the European Parliament Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety, to share his vision on the future of the EU climate and environment policy in light of the 2009 Copenhagen Summit.
Having acknowledged the Summit a dissappointment for many, Mr. Leinen rationed it as caused by the presence of two parallel sets of negotiations taking place: the one pushed by the EU on measures for climate protection, and the second one on climate justice called for by the G77, with no true link between them. This was only to doom any global binding agreement to fail. Whether seen as a failure or not, it is a matter of perception – China, India and the US governments called the Copenhagen Summit a step forward. It certainly cannot be demeaned that 119 Heads of State and Government came together to reduce climate change, and 29 major countries which are responsible for 80% of CO2 emissions signed up to the Accord, in which they agreed to commit themselves to reducing emissions working to national targets set for 2020. However, it seems easy to sign up to something which is neither legally binding nor posing concrete actions and measures to be taken.
Mr. Leinen stressed out a global consensus about the need to limit global warming to a 2 degrees rise, ‘fast track’ funds committment to fianance climate mitigation, a committment to stop deforestation and degradation, establishing technological mechanisms and contiuation on the two parallel tracks of the Kyoto Protocol and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change as significant achievements of the meeting. The EP has already asked the EC to draw up a strategy for implementing the Copenhagen Accord.
The three key aspects of future EU action will be:
1. Showing credibility – to overcome lack of trust of developing towards developed countries, the EU must show solidarity by implementing the ‘fast track’ financing mechanism in the run-up to the next meeting in Cancun (Mexico). Asked where the finance would come from, Mr. Leinen stated that this would be new money, and not taken away from Overseas Development Assistance (ODA), which would jeopardise reaching the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
2. Showing leadership and ambition – to truly counteract the predicted rise in global temperature by 3 – 4 degrees, the EU should not base its targets on other countries’ plans, but should increase its promised 20% cuts in emissions to 30%. However, health professionals and health NGOs call for bolder commitments – even up to 40% emission cuts.
The new Europe 2020 Strategy could push forward th eprocess by preparing Europe for the low-carbon economy. Too much focused on industry, it should be broadened to embrace other sectors such as for instance agriculture. The Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) is being reformed and should definitely look at ways to reduce carbon emissions.
3. Be strong and strategic – to worthfully contribute to the on-going climate change talks, the EU should develop a strong climate diplomacy. Mr. Leinen rejected the suggestions of the EU Climate Comissioner Ms. Hedegaard that we should not expect a comprehensive deal from the upcoming meeting in Mexico and we should wait with it till the next meeting in South Africa in 2011. He found this too late and added that ” we do not want climate negotiations to go the same way as the Doha Round, with no foreseen conclusions.” The Doha Development Round (trade negotiations round of World Trade Organisation) started in 2001 and continues today with no apparent progress.
The EU is a model for many things in the world, and we must be ambitious enough to be a model also for sustainable development. Having outlined the above, Mr. Leinen stressed out a need to have a Plan B. In face of prevalent difficulties to achieve unanimity of all UN members in talks like this, an alternative method. A ‘sectoral approach’, to seek a deal between countries which share common interests and to support these with financial mechanisms. The Emission Trading Scheme (ETS), although already introduced, needs to be guarded against speculations. A carbon tax and Financial Transaction Tax were mentioned as potential issues for consideration.
“Europe alone cannot protect the climate, but without Europe there is no climate protection“, Mr. Leinen finished.
—–
EPHA related articles
– [->art3621]
– [->art3783]
– [->art3854]
– [->art3868]
– [->art3544]
– [->art3867]
– [->art3655]
