Brussels set to be first bloc to reveal contribution to global emissions cutting deal as next set of UN talks draw close
EU climate chief Miguel Arias Canete (Pic: European Parliament/Flickr)
By Ed King
European member states will reveal their collective contribution to a proposed UN climate deal on February 25.
A statement from the European Commission said the bloc would reveal its pledge later this month, well ahead of a deadline agreed by major economies.
The 28-country strong grouping announced it would target 40% greenhouse gas cuts on 1990 levels by 2030 last October, an increase on its 2020 goal.
A Brussels source suggested the communication will be fairly brief, detailing EU mitigation targets and including a short justification for the goals.
It could also include some references to adaptation and climate finance, although these are not expected to be detailed.
UN talks on a global carbon cutting deal resume in Geneva this Sunday, with envoys tasked with developing a draft agreement by May this year.
Scientists say emissions linked to global warming need to be limited, otherwise the world will face a sharp rise in extreme weather events.
This week EU Commissioner for Climate Action and Energy, Miguel Arias Cañete, met delegates from the US and China, tweeting this was “diplomacy in action”.
#Climate diplomacy in action. Building up to Paris #COP21 w China minister Xie Zhenhua, @CFigueres, and US Todd Stern pic.twitter.com/tkAfe5C7xY
— Miguel Arias Cañete (@MAC_europa) February 4, 2015
As RTCC revealed last month Brussels plans a “climate diplomacy offensive” in the coming months to try and secure a successful outcome in the French capital.
On Wednesday the EC also confirmed it had started work on what is being called an “energy union” between member states, with the aim of weaning countries off Russian gas.
According to the EU 55% of gas is imported, while 90% of buildings consume too much energy. One early goal for the union is to accelerate energy connections between countries, allowing them to move electricity and gas across the continent.
“The Energy Union will be an ambitious project that will set a new direction and a clear long term vision for European energy and climate policy,” said Canete.
“It will not simply be a repackaging of old ideas, and will contain concrete measures to make sure the vision becomes a reality.”