UNEP Stresses Need For More Climate Action

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Emissions Gap Report 2016 released today is yet more proof that ambitious objectives of the Paris Agreement need stronger short term action already before 2020 and deeper emission cuts in the period until 2030.

“The report rings alarm bells in the EU over the need to raise its climate target for 2030” – Wendel Trio, Director of Climate Action Network (CAN) Europe said. “It sends a loud and clear message that the Paris Agreement requires a sharp increase of all current climate pledges. It would be simply arrogant and thoughtless to assume it concerns all countries but the EU. The report highlights the fact that the window of opportunity to tackle the climate crisis is shrinking and every year of delay means more risks and costs.”

It sends a loud and clear message that the Paris Agreement requires a sharp increase of all current climate pledges.

In addition, the report clearly states that early action before 2020 will be essential to keep the door open to limit warming to below 1.5°C, as agreed in Paris last year. According to CAN Europe, the EU has an important role to play in increasing these efforts. In order to boost its climate action before 2020, the EU needs to cancel the more than 3 billion surplus emissions permits that will have accumulated by 2020 under the EU Emission Trading Scheme (ETS). According to the current proposal for the ETS Directive, they can be used after 2020 to lower the level of ambition of the 2030 target.