The European Union will call for stricter obligations of all advanced nations in cutting greenhouse gas emissions during a U.N. climate conference next month, its draft plan shows.
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The EU proposals, which would set specific reduction goals for all developed nations in the post-Kyoto Protocol regime, will be in stark contrast to those of Japan
Japan’s proposals to the U.N. Conference on Climate Change, to be held in Bali from Dec. 3 to 14, leave such obligations vague in an effort to encourage the United States to return to the international fold to stem global warming
The United States, the largest emitter of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases, pulled out of the 1997 Kyoto Protocol in 2001 under pressure from its industries
Also known as COP 13, or the 13th Conference of Parties to the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change, the Bali forum will discuss a new framework after the Kyoto Protocol expires in 2012
The EU’s proposals will in effect serve as a test for U.S. intentions and could possibly set off heated debate in conference negotiations
According to the EU draft proposals, the post-Kyoto goals should limit the global temperature increase to less than 2 degrees compared to before the Industrial Revolution
To achieve that target, the draft says it is necessary to cut emissions by 50 percent or more from the 1990 levels by 2050
Advanced nations will be more strictly required to meet specific reduction targets, according to the draft
For developing nations, the EU draft only calls for fairer and more effective contributions
Under the Kyoto Protocol, Japan is required to cut emissions by 6 percent from 1990 levels by the target period of 2008 to 2012
The rate is 8 percent for the European Union and 5 percent for all advanced nations
The EU draft also calls for expansion of the international trading market for carbon emissions, development and transfer of reduction technologies, and other measures
It proposes the establishment of a special working group for post-Kyoto negotiations so that an agreement can be reached in 2009
The proposals by Japan and the European Union will be used at the Bali meeting as the basis to discuss the roadmap for post-Kyoto talks
Japan’s priority is to bring the United States back to the framework
For the meeting, Japan will even stop short of including its proposal to the Group of Eight summit in June to set a long-term goal of halving global emissions by 2050
Filed by Catherine Tsalikis under The Environment, Climate Change