THE EUROPEAN Union intends to "deliver on its commitment" for a 20 per cent cut in greenhouse gas emissions by 2020, and "perhaps even more" if other countries followed its lead, according to EU environment commissioner Stavros Dimas, writes Frank McDonald, Environment Editor, in Poznan
He told a press conference in Poznan, western Poland, that the overall target would "remain intact" even if European leaders agreed to give some leeway to member states such as Poland, because of their concerns about the impact on coal-fired power plants.
Mr Dimas said he was "sure" the summit in Brussels today and tomorrow would finalise the EU's long-awaited climate and energy package "to deal with what science is telling us is an increasing threat to our planet".
Christian Aid Ireland, Friends of the Earth, Oxfam and Trócaire called on Taoiseach Brian Cowen to "deliver real action on climate change" in Brussels by resisting pressure from business, industry and power generators to "dilute" the package.
Mr Dimas said any derogations or opt-outs would only be "allowed for a certain period of time", adding that "quite a lot of revenue" was likely to be generated from auctioning carbon permits and this would be used to help "fight climate change".
He also revealed in an interview that Europe was considering an upward revision of its long-term target of a 60 to 80 per cent cut in emissions by 2050 to an even more ambitious 80 to 95 per cent - though this would also require approval by EU leaders.
French climate change minister Brice Lalonde said the Poznan conference had reached agreement on a work programme for 2009, leading up to the crucial Copenhagen summit next December, at which an international deal is meant to be struck.
He told the press conference that the EU was "pushing hard" for the establishment of an adaptation fund to assist developing countries to adjust to the consequences of climate change as this would be one of the main pillars of an agreement in Copenhagen.
The Poznan conference, which has drawn 11,600 participants, constitutes the half-way mark on the road to Copenhagen. Ministers from more than 140 countries began arriving yesterday for the "high-level segment", which gets under way today.
Yvo de Boer, executive secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, said last night that only a limited number of issues remained outstanding, including when the adaptation fund would be launched and how it would be financed.
But the Climate Action Network noted that some developing countries were not waiting for funding to come through.
China, by far the largest, has already almost achieved its 2010 target of 10 per cent for renewable energy and could reach 19 per cent by 2020.
Meanwhile, the latest Climate Change Performance Index compiled by Germanwatch and Climate Action Network Europe showed that Ireland is among 10 EU member states to make the "top 20", based on trends, policies and records on reducing emissions.
Although Sweden led the field, those who compiled the index did not award the first three places on the basis that "no country is yet on the path that would be necessary to stay within the two degrees limit" scientists say is needed.
After Sweden comes Germany, France, India, Brazil, Britain, Denmark Norway, Hungary, Iceland, Mexico, Portugal, Switzerland, Argentina, Lithuania, Latvia, Morocco, Ireland, Slovakia and Malta. At the other end are the US, Canada and Saudi Arabia. Pat Finnegan of Griain, who contributed to compiling the index for 2009, said the "distinct improvement" in Ireland's ranking reflects "real and positive improvements in Irish performance" in two key areas - enhanced policy and growth in renewable energy.
The index is billed as "an innovative instrument that enhances transparency in international climate politics".
It compares the climate protection performances of 57 countries that together are responsible for over 90 per cent of global carbon dioxide emissions.
"Even if all countries were as equally engaged as the forerunners, current efforts would still be insufficient to prevent dangerous climate change. If climate protection was an Olympic discipline, no country would deserve to climb the winners' podium."
• Full details of the 2009 Climate Change Performance Index are available from www.germanwatch.org/ccpi
• Minister for the Environment John Gormley has a Poznan blog at http://blogs.greenparty.ie