How the EU could snatch defeat from the jaws of victory on climate

(EurActiv, 16 Sep 2020) The European Commission’s commendable move to aim for emission reductions of “at least 55%” by 2030 risks being completely undermined if the target also takes into account “reductions and removals” from forest growth and tree planting schemes, warns Bert Metz.

Dr. Bert Metz is a climate scientist. He is the former co-chair of the Mitigation Working Group of the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (from 1997-2008) and is now a fellow at the European Climate Foundation, a non-profit group.

The EU is on the verge of make possibly its boldest act yet in tackling the climate crisis, but could also completely undermine it.

Collectively, the 27 member states are considering an increase of the 2030 target for reduction of greenhouse gas emissions from the bloc to “at least 55%” below 1990 levels.

This would be significant indeed. The EU has already proven itself a world leader in adoption of renewable energy technologies, with many western member states achieving more than half their electricity generation from renewables increasingly regularly.

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EurActiv, 16 Sep 2020: How the EU could snatch defeat from the jaws of victory on climate