ETS

by Kennedy Graham

These past five weeks, I have visited Europe studying climate policy.  I attended the UN’s 19^th climate conference, UNFCCC COP-19, in Warsaw.  After Poland, I visited Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, United Kingdom and European Union (Brussels).  And I retraced my UN steps to the Middle East (Jordan) and spoke with leaders there as well.

by Kennedy Graham

They are not perfect but they lead the world in climate policy.

If humanity rescues itself from dangerous – or worse, catastrophic – climate change, it will not be because of the US, or the BRICs (Brazil, Russia, India, China) or CANZ (Canada, Australia, NZ).  It will be because of the EU.

Before the defining 1992 Rio Earth Summit, the Europeans were active.

-    It was Sweden that convened the first UN environment summit, back in ’72.

by Kennedy Graham

And what of the UK?

-    In 1990, Britain’s gross emissions were 773 Mt.  New Zealand’s were 60 Mt.

-    In 2011, Britain’s were 550 Mt., a drop of 29%.   New Zealand’s were 76 Mt., an increase of 27%.

-    For 2027, Britain’s are budgeted (in law) to be 390 Mt. on average, and probably less, a drop (from 1990) of 50%.  New Zealand’s are projected to be about 98 Mt. (allowing for some leeway on forestry), an increase of 63%.

by Kennedy Graham

Under the traditional CBDR/RC principles, plus the latest phrases conceived in Warsaw and growing fast – ‘bounded flexibility’, spectrum of commitments’, ‘equity reference framework’, ‘fair contributions’, what of the national policies of Sweden and New Zealand?