Brussels, 24/02/2015 (Agence Europe) - The roadmap for Paris to be unveiled by the European Commission on Wednesday 25 February at the same time as the strategic framework for energy union is the recipe the Commission is putting to the EU for conclusion of an ambitious global climate agreement, in line with scientific advice, in December 2015 (COP 21) (see EUROPE 11260).
The communication, The Paris Protocol - A blueprint for tackling global climate change beyond 2020, will set out a vision of a transparent, legally binding agreement based on equitable and ambitious commitments from all parties that will allow the world to make progress towards the long-term target of a reduction of at least 60% in greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 (compared with 2010), as was agreed at the UN conference in Lima (COP 20).
The Commission will propose that the agreement be in the form of a protocol to the United Nations framework convention on climate change which will come into force as soon as countries producing 80% of global emissions have ratified it. The EU (9% of global emissions) and the two largest emitters - China (24%) and the United States (12%) - should lead the way with ratification as soon as possible.
The protocol will be based on fair sharing of the global collective effort. The EU intends to submit its offer - a 40% reduction in its emissions - before the end of March deadline. The Commission proposes that China, the United States, the other major economies and the middle-income countries do likewise, while the least developed countries should have great flexibility. They would, on a voluntary basis, submit policies and measures along with an estimate of the expected emissions reductions. In the event that the Paris conference does not result in a sufficiently high level of ambition, from 2016, efforts should be made with the Green Climate Fund to identify further initiatives to be taken.
The protocol should: - be reviewed every five years to amend the level of ambition to what is required by science; - foster resilient sustainable development by promoting international cooperation; - encourage the effective implementation of its provisions through policies which can attract predictable public and private investment in low-carbon development.
The roadmap will be complemented by a climate diplomacy action plan, approved in January, to intensify the EU's political dialogue with third countries and to build alliances to ensure the success of COP 21 (see EUROPE 11234). In mid-2015, the Commission will present legislative proposals on implementing the climate-energy package to 2030. In order to improve mutual understanding of the respective offers of all parties to the negotiations, it will organise an international conference before Paris. (Aminata Niang)