European Union Agrees to New Emissions Reduction Plan: 20/20/20 by 2020
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY 
on 12.12.08
The European Union has outlined a new plan to fight global warming. Which is a good thing. The less good thing is that according to the views of many scientists the measures will not bring about enough of a reduction in carbon emissions to really mitigate the worst effects of global warming.
Here are the broad stroke outlines of the so-called 20/20/20 plan:
Emissions Cut, Renewable Energy Increase, Energy Consumption Reduced
Under the plan, which EU Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso has called “the most ambitious proposals anywhere in the world”, the EU will by 2020 cut greenhouse gas emissions by 20% from 1990 levels, increase renewable energy usage by 20%, and cut energy consumption through improved energy efficiency by (you guessed it) 20%.
It’s got a nice snappy, memorable title. Something which rolls off the tongue at press conferences and at meetings of world leaders, but it probably isn’t enough. According to some scientists cuts of between 24-40% are needed in that time frame to avoid the worst of global warming, with some saying that emissions reductions of 80% are more the order of the day.
Sanjeev Kumar of WWF was quoted in by BBC News as saying,
This is a flagship EU policy with no captain, a mutinous crew and several gaping holes in it.
US Willing to Lead, If Others Will Go Along
At least John Kerry has indicated that the United States was willing to lead a new climate deal, provided that other countries (presumably referring to developing nations...) also pledge to cut emissions.
via: BBC News
Global Climate Change
Time for Plan B: Cutting Carbon Emissions 80 Percent by 2020
16 Kyoto Protocol Nations On Track To Meet Emissions Reductions, Through No Fault of Their Own
53% of Global Carbon Emissions Come From the Developing World: Oak Ridge National Laboratory
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seems a little cynical to me...these goals aren't final. They will likely be ramped up in future years as more science rolls in that tells us exactly how urgent the situation is. In the meantime, it would be political suicide to try and leapfrog everyone else and come in to any major country with a truly revolutionary environmental plan. Then we would need to be worried about the industry-based leadership that would come as a reaction. I am certainly not suggesting a plan more akin to the united states or canada (where I am from) where we make it a hobby to have our environmental organizations chaired by industry lobbyists. What I am saying is that this is a good start. We need more, but if this is everything we can do for now, so be it.
Matthew: I'm amazed that, as TreeHugger's most prolific policy wonk, you are not simultaneously reporting on the passage of the green tax cuts that are a part of the new Economic Recovery Plan passed yesterday. This is a revolutionary new policy for the European Union, and none of the major media are reporting it. It is as if the US Congress passed a carbon tax, and the NY Times decided not to report it.
But why would TreeHugger ignore it? I am curious: why is this not big eco-news for you?
Clearly, the EU can go much farther with this policy, but it is a start. As the world slides into depression, eco-wonks should ponder why (a) green tax cuts are part of the Economic Recovery Plan, but carbon trading is not; and (b) why many poor countries, like Poland, would not go along with the carbon trading scheme unless their pollution credits were free. The reason is that the green tax cuts really are a green economic stimulus, and carbon trading (a euphemism for a carbon-tax) is, up front, a drag on the economy which increases energy prices.
You yourself lament that the plan's 20/20/20 goals are insufficient. That is because carbon trading, mandates, these will never get us to the goals we need to reach because of the political/economic backlash they create. Eco-wonks need to focus on policies that are genuinely pro-growth from the get-go, like green energy tax cuts.
Green tax incentives are already proven to work. Push that concept to total tax freedom for green energy, vehicles, infrastructure, etc., and you can accomplish more than carbon trading every will, and supercharge the economy at the same time.
Rod Richardson
www.greenenergytaxcuts.com
Matthew: I'm amazed that, as TreeHugger's most prolific policy wonk, you are not simultaneously reporting on the passage of the green tax cuts that are a part of the new Economic Recovery Plan passed yesterday. This is a revolutionary new policy for the European Union, and none of the major media are reporting it. It is as if the US Congress passed a carbon tax, and the NY Times decided not to report it.
But why would TreeHugger ignore it? I am curious: why is this not big eco-news for you?
Clearly, the EU can go much farther with this policy, but it is a start. As the world slides into depression, eco-wonks should ponder why (a) green tax cuts are part of the Economic Recovery Plan, but carbon trading is not; and (b) why many poor countries, like Poland, would not go along with the carbon trading scheme unless their pollution credits were free. The reason is that the green tax cuts really are a green economic stimulus, and carbon trading (a euphemism for a carbon-tax) is, up front, a drag on the economy which increases energy prices.
You yourself lament that the plan's 20/20/20 goals are insufficient. That is because carbon trading, mandates, these will never get us to the goals we need to reach because of the political/economic backlash they create. Eco-wonks need to focus on policies that are genuinely pro-growth from the get-go, like green energy tax cuts.
Green tax incentives are already proven to work. Push that concept to total tax freedom for green energy, vehicles, infrastructure, etc., and you can accomplish more than carbon trading every will, and supercharge the economy at the same time.