Why is the Commission also proposing that the EU reduce its emissions unilaterally?
An autonomous EU commitment to achieving an ambitious emissions reduction target would demonstrate leadership by example to the rest of the world and send a clear signal to participants in the carbon market. Industry needs this clear signal about the longer term direction of climate change policy so that they can plan the necessary low carbon investments that have payback periods beyond 2012. There is still large potential for reducing the EU’s greenhouse gas emissions. The concrete measures contained in the energy package, combined with ambitious targets under the EU emissions trading scheme, make the attainment of a 20% emissions reduction entirely realistic. The Commission’s priority, however, is for developed countries to reduce emissions by 30% below 1990 levels by 2020, and therefore the EU should adopt this target as part of a satisfactory global emissions reduction agreement.
