EU Signals It Will Not Adopt New Unilateral CO2 Target: The Never-Ending Climate Deadlock?

Connie Hedegaard. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The European Union appears unlikely to adopt tougher targets for carbon emissions this year after an official at the UN climate talks in Bangkok was quoted as saying further cuts were ‘wishful thinking’. If this is an official EU policy it will come as a blow to climate commissioner Connie Hedegaard, who has been a vocal supporter of adopting a more ambitious goal. --Responding to Climate Change, 2 September 2012

Fears are mounting that the latest round of international climate talks could once again end in deadlock, as diplomats gathered in Bangkok reportedly clashed on a number of different fronts. According to various reports the working groups have again seen repeated clashes between rich and poor nations, raising fears the meeting will mirror the previous round of talks in Bonn earlier this year, where diplomats and campaigners were left frustrated by a serious lack of progress that threatens to undermine the crucial Doha summit at the end of the year. --James Murray, Business Green, 3 September 2012

Almost 50 of the world's poorest nations said pledges made by rich countries to provide funds to help them adapt to a warmer planet risk being overlooked as U.N. negotiations over a global climate pact to start in 2020 got underway in Bangkok on Thursday. "All sides need a clearer understanding on how to get to $100 billion a year by 2020 with no gaps," said Christiana Figueres, executive secretary of the U.N.'s climate department and the public face of the talks. The call comes as traditional rich nations struggle to rein in their national debt and budget deficits, while support for proposals to tap the private sector for cash through regulating or taxing emissions from shipping and aviation have struggled to receive backing. --Reuters, 30 August 2012

It is not a mystery as to what is missing in the UN climate change talks — it’s as obvious as an elephant in the room. They need deep emission cuts in line with the science and they need a commitment to getting finance and technology to communities on the frontline. These were promised by industrialised countries in existing legal agreements, but the tricks they will use to get out of their commitments seem endless. --Wisdom Mdzungari, News Day, 3 September 2012

Rezaul Karim Chowdhury from EquityBD Bangladesh said, "No deep cut now means mass carbon genocide to least developed countries, especially possible extinction of small island countries like Bangladesh, the Maldives, the Philippines etc." "The United States, the EU and other Annex I countries have already accepted their responsibility to the climate crisis. The next logical and imperative thing to do is to fulfill their existing legally binding commitments and undertaking drastic emission cuts without offsets. No more skirting the issue. No more excuses. They need to act now," said Lopez. --Financial Express, 3 September 2012

Germany’s middle-class is bearing the brunt of the green energy transition for both the industry and the poor. Soon Germany may not have the economic engine to carry the rest of Europe through its financial crisis. Angela Merkel will have to find another coalition or her government may fall. --James Conca, Forbes, 31 August 2012