EU emissions targets weaker than Japan, US and Canada says analyst

Even if the EU were to increase its emissions reduction target to 30 per cent of 1990 levels by 2020, Japan and Australia the USA and Canada are still pledging larger cuts from current emission levels, according to a recent analysis of the submissions to the Copenhagen Accord published by Point Carbon.

EU leaders have currently kept the level at 20 per cent amid claims that other countries have not been sufficiently ambitious on targets to justify the raise.

But when compared to the most recent emissions data Japan has pledged the most ambitious 2020 target among developed countries with a 31 per cent reduction on 2007 levels, while Australia’s proposed a reduction of between 13 and 31 per cent on 2007 levels.

The reductions proposed by the EU represents a 16 per cent decrease on 2007 levels, also weaker than the pledges from the US and Canada, respectively a 17 per cent and 19 per cent reduction on 2007 levels.

"The EU is lagging behind in terms of the ambition to cut emissions from current levels”, said Kjetil Røine, manager at Point Carbon.

“We should, however, bear in mind that these are just non-binding pledges, and the EU is far more advanced when it comes to the implementation of policies and measures to reduce emissions."

Such policies include the establishment of an emissions trading system which will help meet targets and a target to source 20 per cent of energy needs from renewables.

No other country has yet managed to implement a cap-and-trade system or an effective carbon tax. The US democrats currently have a cap-and-trade bill struggling on Capitol Hill, while Australian president Kevin Rudd looks unlikely to get similar legislation through the Australian parliament.

The targets submitted by developed countries would give an overall reduction by 2020 of 10-15 per cent below 2007 levels, 9-14 per cent below 2005 levels and 12-17 per cent below 1990 levels.

Røine said the fact that 65 countries had submitted targets and actions to be included in the Copenhagen Accord was an indication of some political will for an agreement but that the fundamental pre-Copenhagen positions of many countries had not changed.