EU tables Poznan pledge to cut emissions 95 per cent

The future of its action plan to cut emissions by 20 per cent by 2020 might still be the subject of tense negotiations in Brussels, but senior European officials are reportedly already considering signing the continent up to even more ambitious emission reduction targets.

According to Guardian reports, the EU delegation at the current UN climate talks in Poznan, Poland has proposed slashing greenhouse gas emissions by between 80 and 95 per cent if large developing nations agree to more modest emission cuts of between 15 and 30 per cent below business as usual levels over the next decade.

European commissioner for the environment Stavros Dimas told the paper that the commitment had "already been put on the table" and that it had not yet received a response from emerging economies such as China and India.

He said that the suggested cut of up to 95 per cent would be based on 1990 emission levels and would cover all sectors of the economy, including shipping and aviation, adding that it was in line with the latest climate science.

"We follow up what the scientists tell us and we select [our target] accordingly, to not put our world at risk of irreversible damage," he said. " This is the reason we are changing the long-term target."

The new target would represent the most ambitious climate change goal yet adopted by a major economy and will also up the pressure on Chinese and Indian negotiators who have consistently argued that their countries will not agree to binding emissions targets unless developed economies commit to much deeper cuts.

However, the likelihood of developing countries agreeing to reductions in emissions of even 15 per cent below business as usual will depend largely on US willingness to sign up to targets similar to those proposed by the EU as well as the precise structure of shorter term targets for 2020 and 2030.

As well as attempting to push China and India towards a compromise position the EU proposal can also be interpreted as a gambit in ongoing negotiations in Brussels on the bloc's own 2020 climate change action plan.

Following a deal on renewable energy targets and car emission standards, the talks on the overall emissions targets and structure of the emissions trading scheme are currently entering their final phase ahead of a meeting of EU leaders this Friday when the proposals are meant to be finalised.

Disagreements over the cost of the package are still apparent with Italy and Poland reportedly leading the detractors. However, Dimas told The Guardian that he remained confident a compromise would be reached and the legislation would be adopted before the end of the year.

Meanwhile, concerns are mounting that proposals to fund forestry protection projects through the global carbon markets could be jeopardy after a row broke out in Poznan over the extent to which the rights of indigenous forest communities would be protected under such a scheme.

A coalition of green groups including Friends of the Earth and the Rainforest Foundation accused the US, Australia, New Zealand and Canada of watering down a line in the original draft UN agreement that sought to protect the rights of forest communities.

The original draft, which was leaked to The Guardian, claimed any forest protection scheme should note "the rights and importance of engaging indigenous peoples and other local communities".

In contrast, the changed version, which has drawn protests from conference attendees representing indigenous communities, calls only for recognition of " the need to promote the full and effective participation of indigenous and local communities".

Green groups argued that without full recognition of such communities' rights there was a danger they could be exploited and driven off their land if UN proposals to monetise the protection of forests prove successful.