This week during the G8 Summit held in L’Aquila, Italy, the group of major economies including Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, the UK and the US agreed to stop world temperature rise above the 2° Celsius limit, identified as the upper limit to avoid catastrophic changes in the climate by the IPCC. Following the scientific debate, the G8 countries agreed to halve world emission by 2050 (as required to achieve the 2° limit target according to the IPCC) and supported an ambitious longterm target of 80 percent or more for industrialised countries. For the first time the most industrialized countries of the world recognized the 2° limit, with the US supporting the scientific view in climate change also for the first time. Such an historic position did not manage to convince environmental groups as it lack one of its most salient features: a base year on which to calculate emission targets. In fact, the statement is quite vague on the subject, stating simply that reductions should be “compared to 1990 or more recent years”. 

Read more

• A recent research work by OECD and FEEM states that it will not be possible to stay below the 2°C target without a global agreement which involves all countries of the globe.
• In another recent research work, EPRI reviews the feasibility of different likely targets of CO₂ concentration at world level.
• More details on the Climate discussion held at G8 are available in the last issues of the CMCC Newsletter “Emission Trading Monitor” (en – pdf 162 Kb) and in the Newsletter of the IPCC FOCAL POINT for Italy (it – pdf 481 Kb).