News Release
Margot Wallström
No. 130/04
September 15, 2004
ON 14TH SEPTEMBER COMMISSION LAUNCHES STAKEHOLDER CONSULTATION
ON FUTURE CLIMATE CHANGE POLICY
What should be the EU's approach to the future international fight against
climate change?
How should EU countries work together to fight climate change after 2012, when
the current Kyoto
Protocol’s targets end? These questions are part of a web-based stakeholder
consultation which the European Commission starts today. The consultation gives
an opportunity for stakeholders (citizens, businesses, policy makers, NGOs, authorities,
scientists and others) to contribute to the debate on the future of global climate
policy. The Commission will use the contributions in the development of the EU’s
future climate change policy and its contribution to the international debate
on the future international climate change regime.
"Climate change is one of the greatest challenges of our generation,"
said Environment
Commissioner
Margot Wallström. "The first Kyoto commitment period will end in 2012.
Already now, we need to prepare what comes after. The international community
will soon start discussing how we can build on the Kyoto Protocol and launch a
new phase of international co-operation on climate change. We will need to strengthen
our efforts, put more ambitious targets in place and use innovative approaches
to reach those targets. It is important that we base our contribution to this
discussion on the knowledge and expertise available in society and that we take
into account what citizens think. This stakeholder consultation will help us maintain
the EU’s leadership in the fight against climate change and define the EU’s contribution,
based on science and enjoying wide support."
Why a post-2012 climate change policy?
Under the Kyoto Protocol, the EU has committed itself to reducing its greenhouse
gas emissions by 8%, compared to 1990 levels, between 2008 and 2012. The reductions
will be a first – albeit vital – step to address the human-induced part of the
climate problem, but alone they will not stop climate change. Recent studies indicate
that – in order to halt climate change – we need further substantial global
emission reductions, reaching up to around 30% by 2025 and 65% by 2050 compared
to "business as usual."
The EU will continue to demonstrate its leadership on addressing the challenge
of climate change by providing its ideas on the future regime. More clarity on
further global action on climate change and the EU’s contribution to it will also
help EU business, as a stable and predictable international policy environment
will provide it with clear indications on how EU policy in this area is likely
to evolve.
The stakeholder consultation
The stakeholder consultation will provide input to the Commission’s climate
change report to the Spring Council 2005, which will discuss future global and
EU climate change policy. The Commission report will synthesise the benefits and
costs of medium and longer term strategies.
All interested parties are invited to make substantive contributions through
the web-based forum “Action on Climate Change post 2012.” The forum will be open
for submissions until 31 October 2004. The Commission also envisages holding a
stakeholder conference in mid-November.
More information about climate change is available at
http://europa.eu.int/comm/environment/climat/home_en.htm
More information about the stakeholder consultation can be found at
http://europa.eu.int/comm/environment/climat/future_action.htm
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Press Contacts:
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Anthony Gooch
202-862-9523
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Maeve O'Beirne
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