Today the European Commission announced new legislation on climate change and energy as part of its long term strategy for avoiding dangerous climate change.
The new package confirms a 20 per cent reduction target on 1990 levels for emissions cuts within the EU by 2020.
This target will be shared between the 27 member states according to GDP, but will include credits bought in from international carbon trading schemes.
Tearfund broadly welcomes the EU’s new climate and energy package but is particularly concerned by the lack of ambition in setting only a 20 per cent target for 2020.
The EU supported the inclusion of cuts of 25-40 per cent for developed countries at the UN climate talks in Bali, but has failed to show integrity at home by setting its own targets consistent with this range.
A 20 per cent target ignores the science, and the EU’s own position on keeping global temperature rise below two degrees. Tearfund considers that the cuts should be based on a 30 per cent overall target from the outset.
To read more of Tearfund response to the EU’s legislation on targets, renewable energy, the Emissions Trading Scheme and Carbon Capture and Storage click here.