targets

The Role of Industrial Emissions Within the EU: Trends and Policy

SNA — Mon, 27 Jun 2016 12:01:30 +0000

Greenhouse gas emissions generated by industrial activity constitute a significant share of total emissions in the EU. The EU Emissions Trading System (ETS) is the cornerstone of policies leading to reduction of industrial emissions, supplemented by regulation to prevent fluorinated gases. Industry fears a high burden under the proposed 2030 targets and actively opposes them.Read more

Non-Market-Based Climate Policy Instruments

SNA — Mon, 27 Jun 2016 08:56:57 +0000

European climate policies apply a mix of different policy instruments to impose emissions reductions. Main instrument categories include non-market-based and market-based instruments. This knowledge package introduces the workings of non-market-based instruments currently part of the EU’s climate policy toolbox.Read more

Carbon Leakage and Industrial Innovation

SNA — Wed, 15 Jun 2016 12:19:29 +0000

Carbon leakage is defined as an increase of emissions outside the EU because of EU climate policies. As such policies affect the costs of economic activity, especially in energy intensive industries, they might cause companies to move production to countries with laxer greenhouse gas emission policies. Therefore, affected industries receive benefits, such as more free emission allowances in the EU...Read more

Observer NGOs and the International Climate Negotiations

SNA — Wed, 15 Jun 2016 10:45:29 +0000

The first part of this knowledge package, "Role of Countries in Climate Negotiations" (POLIMP, 2015) presented an overview of the multilevel interaction of government stakeholders in the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The knowledge package below aims at providing a map of the size, coordination and influence of the non-governmental organisations involved as observers in the UNFCCC negotiations.Read more

Role of Countries in Climate Negotiations

SNA — Wed, 15 Jun 2016 09:51:00 +0000

Since the 1990s, almost all countries in the world negotiate on international climate policies as Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). This has resulted in several milestones, but it has also become clear that countries are diverse and have different negotiation interests, which complicates reaching agreements. This knowledge package maps and explains the interaction of the...Read more

International Ambition on Targets for the Post-2020 Era

SNA — Mon, 08 Feb 2016 10:25:39 +0000

The international community is negotiating a post-2020 framework for global climate action. The UNFCCC meeting concluded with such a framework of increasing emissions reduction commitments beyond 2020. Countries are likely to attach their new post-2020 commitments to the international agreement made at this time. The role of the European Union, USA and China is crucial, given that their emissios comprise...Read more

The Costs of Mitigation: An Overview

SNA — Tue, 02 Feb 2016 12:29:51 +0000

There is quite a vast landscape of different definitions used for the word 'cost' related to the concepts of climate change. To enhance appropriate application and interpretation, this knowledge package explains the various terms in the climate change debate. Furthermore, it provides cost estimates for mitigation expressed in consumption losses for 2020 through 2100 and argues that costs would further...Read more

New Market Mechanisms: Status of Discussions under the UNFCCC

SNA — Mon, 07 Dec 2015 07:53:15 +0000

Due to the limitations of existing market mechanism, parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change have been prompted to look for new tools to improve cost effectiveness of climate change mitigation. Parties have agreed to consider the implementation of new market mechanisms and non-market based approaches. This knowledge package analyses the elements of new market mechanisms being...Read more

Technical Options for Climate Change Mitigation in EU Agriculture

SNA — Tue, 27 Oct 2015 11:09:23 +0000

Agriculture and land management play a central role in climate change mitigation in the EU. The potential of greenhouse gas mitigation measures differs according to regional characteristics and farming systems. Since there is great diversity in natural conditions and farming systems, selection of the most appropriate practices will vary according to context and depend on specific agronomic, environmental and climatic...Read more

Agriculture and Climate Change in the EU: An Overview

SNA — Mon, 26 Oct 2015 09:27:30 +0000

Agriculture is an important source of greenhouse gas emissions in the EU, while also being heavily affected by climate change. Mitigation and adaptation have to be prioritised by both farmers and policy makers in order to coordinate efforts to reduce emissions from the sector and meet demands for food. Balancing these sometimes competing interests presents a significant policy challenge. Read more

Article 7 of the EED: Will MSs Achieve their Energy Savings Targets?

SNA — Fri, 17 Jul 2015 12:38:39 +0000

Article 7 of the Energy Efficiency Directive obliges Member States to develop an Energy Efficiency Obligation scheme or/and use alternative measures like energy certificates, minimum energy performance requirements etc. After 2012, Member States were obliged to report their planned measures through National Energy Efficiency Action Plans. This knowledge package provides an overview of how Member States have implemented the Article 7.Read more

Energy Efficiency Policy Instruments in the European Union

SNA — Fri, 17 Jul 2015 11:02:51 +0000

Energy Efficiency Obligations are the cornerstone of the Energy Efficiency Directive from 2012. Under such obligations energy companies are responsible for generating energy savings. This policy was already successfully implemented in 6 EU Member States. Other policies like nearly zero energy buildings and energy certification are also planned. This knowledge package investigates the range of energy efficiency policies that are...Read more

Household Contribution to Buildings' Carbon Footprint

melanie.schlund — Fri, 10 Apr 2015 09:44:23 +0000

Households remain one of the most significant contributors to greenhouse gas emissions from the building sector, due to their energy consumptions, with certain Member States having thrice or more the household emission footprint than others. The efforts carried out to minimize their emissions have brought certain results, but more actions are considered necessary. Improvement of households' energy efficiency is a...Read more

History of the UN Climate Negotiations - Part 2 - from 2011 to 2015

melanie.schlund — Wed, 01 Apr 2015 09:37:31 +0000

Several factors led to uncertainty and complexity as well as scepticism on the likelihood of reaching an effective agreement in the post-Copenhagen process, including the shift in the UNFCCC negotiation process from a top-down approach to a more flexible system of country-led individual targets and a growing realisation among developing countries about the need to take an active role in...Read more

History of the UN Climate Negotiations - Part 1 - from the 1980's to 2010

melanie.schlund — Wed, 01 Apr 2015 08:06:01 +0000

Based on first scientific insights on climate change, policy makers agreed in 1992 on a UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Since then, the UNFCCC has been the basis for climate negotiations with the Kyoto Protocol (1997), the Marrakech Accords (2001) and the Cancun Agreements (2010) as major milestones. This Knowledge Package explains how climate policy making has increasingly...Read more