Brussels, 21/10/2015 (Agence Europe) - According to a report published on Tuesday 20 October by the OECD, the advanced and emerging economies have made progress in reducing greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) but the majority of them are, however, pursuing a trajectory that will not allow them to meet their targets.
On the same day, the European Environment Agency (EEA) published its 2015 forecasts that demonstrated that the EU is superseding its 2020 climate targets (see EUROPE 11413). Nonetheless, the OECD analysis demonstrates that it should also do more to reach its 2030 target (a reduction of at least 40% in emissions compared to 1990 levels).
The OECD analysis “Climate Change Mitigation: Policies and Progress” focuses on 34 OECD countries, in addition to South Africa, Brazil, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Russia, India, Indonesia, Latvia, Lithuania and the EU, which, together, contribute more than 80% of all greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) in the world.
It shows how there are increasing numbers of these countries that have developed carbon tariffication instruments, reduced their fossil fuel subsidies, invested in R&D in green technologies, protected their forests and have reduced GHG from factories, farms and waste. Almost all of them have succeeded in reducing GHG for each unit of GDP. “The momentum behind climate action is growing, with more countries taking action to price carbon and regulate emissions. But achieving the targets countries have set for themselves will require a sharp acceleration of effort”, said OECD Environment Director Simon Upton.
Therefore, the report finds the US would have to cut its GHG emissions by 2.3-2.8% a year to meet its post-2020 targets, compared to an average annual reduction of 1.6% during 2005-12. The European Union would need to cut its GHG emissions by 2.8% a year to meet its post-2020 INDC from 1.8% over 2005-12.
China and India's current rates of decoupling emissions from growth have put them on track to meet their 2020 goals, although China's 2030 target would require an accelerated rate of decoupling. Aggregate GHG emissions from OECD countries peaked in 2007 but remained above 1990 levels in 2012.
Efforts to cut emissions through improved energy efficiency and the use of renewables have been partially offset as economic growth has recovered and global demand for transport has risen. For the emerging economies studied, aggregate emissions have significantly increased since the 1990s and these countries should try to ensure that they are not locked into high carbon intensity trajectories, explains the OECD. The report also shows that energy, including power generation and transport, accounts for more than 70% of GHG emissions for most OECD countries. In the 44 countries studied, coal, the most carbon-intensive fuel, accounted for 45% of electricity generation in 2012, with China, India, Poland and South Africa using it as their primary electricity source. National or local carbon taxes exist, or are planned, in 15 of the 44 countries studied. Emissions trading systems (ETSs) exist in the EU, Korea, New Zealand and Switzerland, in several Canadian provinces and US states and two Japanese cities. China plans a nationwide-system by 2017. (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)