Is climate change in abatement in danger due to the financial crisis?

The EU sticks to its 2020 targets

Will the promises to reduce greenhouse gasses be kept now that the global financial and economic crisis is eating away huge parts of the budget in most EU countries? A positive signal came earlier this month at the European summit. EU leaders confirmed that targets for 2020 will be maintained. That is a clear and encouraging message, although maintaining the targets does not ensure that they will be achieved.

An encouraging EU summit

One clear success of the EU summit is that an agreement was reached on binding targets for individual countries for the energy consuming sectors that do not fall under the Emission Trading Scheme (ETS). Those sectors include transport, buildings, agriculture, and smaller industry. It was agreed to reduce GHG emissions in the non-ETS sectors by an average of 10% between 2013 and 2020. This will contribute to reaching the target of a 20% GHG emissions reduction by 2020.

An agreement was also reached on what should be done when a country does not reach an intermediate emission reduction target. Those countries will have to do more than merely catch up on their arrears the following year. Under the new agreement their required emission reduction will be multiplied by a factor 1.08.

The EU report also includes an encouraging note concerning the renewable energy target (a share of 20% in the energy mix by 2020): the intermediate evaluation by the Commission, which is to take place by 2014, will in no event be used to weaken the final target.

Regarding road vehicles, the EU has set the target of a 10% share of renewable energy fuels by 2020. In addition, the summit agreed on a draft regulation on minimum carbon emission performance standards for new cars. This proposal aims to reduce average carbon emissions from new cars from the present 160 gCO₂/km to 120 gCO₂/km in 2012 and then further down to 95 gCO₂/km by 2020.

What if targets are not reached?

According to some critics, the targets regarding the carbon emissions of vehicles did not go far enough, but the general feeling in the sustainable energy sector is one of relief. Despite the global crisis, the EU wants to keep its targets regarding climate change mitigation. However, setting targets is one thing, and actually reaching those targets is quite another. The question is what will happen when the results remain under expectations. Will the EU admit a failure, or will figures be embroidered to pretend that the targets were achieved after all?

References

• Article 'MEPs and Council Presidency reach deal on final details of climate package' on the Web site of the European Parliament
• Article 'Parliament to sign off on climate compromise' on EurActive