After an informal meeting of the European Union
environment ministers in Sevilla, Spain on Saturday 16
the possibility that the Union would unilaterally choose to
opt for a 30% target reduction from 1990 levels in CO2
emissions by 2020 has been described as “unlikely” for
the time being by the Spanish Secretary of State for
Climate Change Teresa Ribera. Although this decision
had been expected given the current state of international
negotiations, on the previous day the EU Commission
had tabled a non-paper urging the ministers to take a
proactive diplomatic effort and to cooperate with other
countries to build on the outcome of the Copenhagen
meeting, adding also that “the EU could
review/strengthen its commitment notably in the light of
the pledges notified by other countries.” Ministers
concluded that the EU is willing to lead the climate
negotiations and have not excluded a stepping up of its
commitment at a later stage, in order to convince more
countries to contribute to the emission reduction effort.

Further information:

• EU Presidence (16 January) “Agreement on the need to consolidate a rapid, efficient process against climate change”
• EU Presidence (13 January) “Climate change and international governance are the focus of the environment ministers’ meeting”

 Emission Trading Monitor

• This news is extracted from the Emission Trading Monitor : a CMCC weekly column that summarises the latest news on international climate change agreements, the updates on the carbon market and the energy and technology updates in the realm of climate change. Go to the web page and see all previous issues since March 2007.
• This week: European Commission sets up a climate department, Croatia banned from international emission
  trading, US and China announce targets for COP 15, gearing up for Copenhagen, India-US clean energy
  cooperation, and, as usual the situation of the Carbon Market – Download the January 11-21, 2010 Newsletter [pdf – 154 Kb]