EUROPEAN
COMMISSION

Brussels, 25.2.2015
COM(2015) 81 final

ENERGY UNION PACKAGE

COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN
PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL
The Paris Protocol – A blueprint for tackling global climate change beyond 2020
{SWD(2015) 17 final}

EN

EN

Contents
1.

Executive Summary ...................................................................................................... 3

2.

The Paris Protocol......................................................................................................... 5

3.

Securing ambitious reductions of greenhouse gas emissions ....................................... 6

3.1.

The EU 2030 target and intended nationally determined contribution......................... 6

3.2.

Sharing the global effort ............................................................................................... 7

4.

Ensuring dynamism through regular review of targets ................................................. 8

5.

Strengthening transparency and accountability ............................................................ 8

6.

Achieving climate resilience through adaptation ......................................................... 9

7.

Promoting implementation and cooperation ................................................................. 9

7.1.

Mobilising public and private climate finance ............................................................. 9

7.2.

Scaling up international cooperative action ................................................................ 10

7.3.

Supporting the development and deployment of climate technologies ...................... 11

7.4.

Building capacity ........................................................................................................ 11

8.

Mobilising other EU policies ...................................................................................... 11

9.

Next steps.................................................................................................................... 13

2

1.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

According to the latest findings of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC),
without urgent action, climate change will bring severe, pervasive and irreversible impacts on
all the world's people and ecosystems. Limiting dangerous rises in global average
temperature to below 2°C compared with pre-industrial levels (the below 2°C objective) will
require substantial and sustained reductions in greenhouse gas emissions by all countries.
This global transition to low emissions can be achieved without compromising growth and
jobs, and can provide significant opportunities to revitalise economies in Europe and
globally. Action to tackle climate change also brings significant benefits in terms of public
well-being. Delaying this transition will, however, raise overall costs and narrow the options
for effectively reducing emissions and preparing for the impacts of climate change.
All countries need to act urgently and collectively. Since 1994, the Parties to the United
Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) have focused on this
challenge, resulting in more than 90 countries, both developed and developing, pledging to
curb their emissions by 2020. However, these pledges are insufficient to achieve the below
2°C objective1. For these reasons, in 2012, the UNFCCC Parties launched negotiations
towards a new legally binding agreement applicable to all Parties that will put the world on
track to achieve the below 2°C objective. The 2015 Agreement is to be finalised in Paris in
December 2015 and implemented from 2020.
The progress made at the recent climate conference in Lima brings a robust agreement in
Paris within reach. Most importantly, it was decided how countries should formulate and
communicate their proposed emission reduction targets well in advance of the Paris
conference. A first full draft text of the 2015 Agreement was also developed, reflecting the
positions of all Parties on all the elements under negotiation.
Well ahead of the Lima conference, the EU continued to show leadership and determination
to tackle climate change globally. At the European Summit in October 2014, European
leaders agreed that the EU should step up its efforts and domestically reduce its emissions by
at least 40% compared to 1990 by 2030. This was followed by announcements of China and
the US. In Lima, EU Member States pledged about half of the initial capitalisation of US$10
billion to the Green Climate Fund (GCF) to assist developing countries. Within the EU, a
new investment plan was adopted. This will unlock public and private investments in the real
economy of at least €315 billion over the next three years (2015-17). These investments will
help modernise and further decarbonise the EU’s economy.
This communication responds to the decisions taken in Lima, and is a key element in
implementing the Commission's priority of building a resilient Energy Union with a forwardlooking climate change policy consistent with the President of the Commission's political
guidelines. This communication prepares the EU for the last round of negotiations before the
Paris conference in December 2015.

1

United Nations Environment Programme - "The emissions gap report 2014. A UNEP synthesis report"

3

In particular this communication:


translates the decision taken at the European Summit in October 2014 into the EU's
proposed emissions target - its Intended Nationally Determined Contribution (INDC)
to be submitted by the end of the first quarter of 2015;



proposes that all UNFCCC Parties submit their INDCs well in advance of the Paris
conference. China, the US and other G20 countries, as well as high and middleincome countries should be in a position to do so by the first quarter of 2015. Greater
flexibility should be provided to Least Developed Countries (LDCs);



sets out a vision for a transparent and dynamic legally binding agreement, containing
fair and ambitious commitments from all Parties based on evolving global economic
and geopolitical circumstances. In aggregate these commitments - based on scientific
evidence - should put the world on track to reduce global emissions by at least 60%
below 2010 levels by 2050. Should there be a gap in the level of ambition set in Paris,
this should be addressed by devising a work programme starting in 2016 working
closely with the GCF to identify additional action to reduce emissions;



proposes that the 2015 Agreement should be in the form of a Protocol under the
UNFCCC. Major economies, in particular the EU, China and the US, should show
political leadership by joining the Protocol as early as possible. It should enter into
force as soon as countries with a collective total of 80% of current global emissions
have ratified it. Under the new Protocol, climate finance, technology development and
transfer, and capacity building should promote universal participation and facilitate
the efficient and effective implementation of strategies to reduce emissions and adapt
to the adverse effects of climate change;



underlines that the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), the International
Maritime Organisation (IMO) and the Montreal Protocol should act to effectively
regulate emissions from international aviation and shipping and the production and
consumption of fluorinated gases before the end of 2016;



highlights how other EU policies such as, trade, scientific research, innovation and
technological cooperation, economic and development cooperation, disaster risk
reduction and environment could reinforce the EU’s international climate policy; and



is complemented by a climate diplomacy action plan jointly developed by the
European External Action Service and the Commission. The action plan is aimed at
scaling up EU outreach and building alliances with ambitious international partners in
the run up to the Paris conference.

Some aspects of this communication are set out in further detail in the accompanying Staff
Working Document.

4

2.

THE PARIS PROTOCOL

In order to promote collective action consistent with the IPCC's findings, the Paris Protocol
must deliver the following objectives:


secure ambitious reductions of emissions by:
o specifying that the long term goal should be to reduce global emissions by at least
60% below 2010 levels by 20502; and
o in that context setting out clear, specific, ambitious and fair legally binding
mitigation commitments that put the world on track towards achieving the below
2°C objective. These commitments must be consistent with the UNFCCC's
principles applied in the light of evolving responsibilities, capabilities and
different national circumstances;



ensure dynamism by providing for a global review, to be conducted every five years,
to strengthen the ambition of these mitigation commitments consistent with the latest
science;



strengthen transparency and accountability in order to be able to assess whether
emissions reduction targets and related commitments have been met. A common set
of rules and procedures for annual reporting and regular verification and international
expert reviews of emission inventories needs to be established;



encourage climate-resilient sustainable development by promoting international
cooperation and supporting policies that decrease vulnerability and improve countries'
capacity to adapt to the impacts of climate change; and



promote efficient and effective implementation and cooperation by encouraging
policies that mobilise substantial, transparent and predictable public and private sector
investment in low-emission climate-resilient development.

These objectives should be set out in the Protocol. A technical work programme, to be
completed by 2017, should develop the detailed rules, processes and institutions needed to
achieve these objectives.
To join the Protocol, a Party must make a mitigation commitment. Parties will be able to
participate in decision-making under the Protocol and have access to financial and other
resources to support the implementation of the Protocol. Mitigation commitments under the
Protocol should be equally legally binding on all Parties.

2

This is equivalent to the EU’s long-standing objective of halving global emissions by 2050 compared to 1990,
as reiterated by the Environment Council in its conclusions of 28 October 2014.

5

This will give the clearest signal to governments, markets and the public that Parties to the
Protocol are committed to fighting climate change as they provide:


the strongest expression of a Party's political will to achieve its commitments;



necessary predictability and certainty for all public and private actors; and



durability in the context of domestic political changes.

It is incumbent on those countries advocating that mitigation commitments should not be
binding at international level to demonstrate how these advantages can be delivered under an
alternative approach.
All G20 nations, representing around 75% of global emissions, as well as other high and
middle-income countries are expected to ratify the Protocol in a timely manner and to
implement it from 2020 onwards. The EU, China and the US should send a particularly
important signal of political leadership, setting the pace by joining the Protocol as early as
possible. The Protocol should enter into force as soon as countries accounting for more than
40Gt of CO2equivalent emissions in 2015 have deposited their instrument of ratification. This
represents approximately 80% of current global emissions.
3.

SECURING AMBITIOUS REDUCTIONS OF GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS

3.1.

The EU 2030 target and intended nationally determined contribution

The climate and energy policy efforts of the EU are delivering results. EU emissions declined
by 19% between 1990 and 2013, while over the same period EU GDP grew by 45%. The
EU's 2030 climate and energy framework, as agreed by EU leaders in October 2014, will
further strengthen the policy landscape. It sets out a binding, economy-wide reduction target,
covering all sectors and all sources of emissions, including agriculture, forestry and other
land uses, of at least 40% domestic reductions in emissions by 2030 compared to 1990. This
target is ambitious and fair and it is in line with a cost-efficient pathway to at least 80%
domestic reductions by 20503. The EU has already taken significant steps to become the most
emission efficient economy in the world. The 2030 target will decrease the emissions
intensity of the EU economy by a further 50%. The EU's recently approved investment plan
will unlock substantial private finance to modernise and further decarbonise the EU’s
economy.
There is no merit in proposing a higher conditional target at the present time. Should the
outcome of the negotiations warrant a more ambitious target, then the EU should be open to
the use of international credits to complement domestic commitments as long as their
environmental integrity is fully secured and double counting is avoided.

3

COM(2011) 112 final: A roadmap for moving to a competitive low carbon economy in 2050

6

3.2.

Sharing the global effort

The EU accounts for 9% of global emissions and this proportion is falling. In November 2014
the world's two largest emitters - China (25% of global emissions) and the US (11%) –
followed the EU by announcing their indicative post 2020 targets. Combined, these targets
would cover close to half of global emissions. For the Protocol to be effective, and to achieve
a global level-playing field, it needs to have the following:


Broad geographical coverage. To achieve the necessary coverage of emissions all
Parties, except LDCs, need to put forward their INDCs as early as possible in 2015.
All G20, high and middle-income countries should be in a position to do so by the end
of the first quarter of 2015. These INDCs should be communicated in accordance with
the information requirements agreed in Lima. Table 1 sets out the at least 40%
domestic reduction target as agreed by EU Leaders in October 2014 in the form of an
INDC consistent with the information requirements agreed in Lima to ensure that
targets are transparent, quantifiable, and comparable. This table provides a simple
template that could serve as a possible model for those Parties still formulating their
INDC. On a voluntary basis, LDCs could submit INDCs that summarise policies and
measures with an estimate of emissions reductions. All other Parties to the Protocol
must at all times maintain a mitigation commitment. These should be set out
alphabetically by Party in an Annex to the Protocol.



Comprehensive coverage of sectors and emissions. Parties' commitments must create
strong incentives for all actors to further reduce and limit global emissions. The
Protocol should require emissions reductions in all sectors, including agriculture,
forestry and other land uses, international aviation and shipping and fluorinated gases.
ICAO, IMO, and the Montreal Protocol should act to effectively regulate emissions
from international aviation and shipping and the production and consumption of
fluorinated gases, respectively, by the end of 2016.



The highest possible level of ambition. Well in advance of the Paris conference, each
Party must choose its mitigation commitment type and define its level of ambition and
scope in light of evolving responsibilities, capabilities and different national
circumstances. Countries with the highest responsibilities and capabilities need to
have the most ambitious mitigation commitments. Each Party's INDC should
represent a significant progression in the level of mitigation ambition and scope
compared to its current pledge. It should demonstrate convergence on low levels of
overall emissions and per capita emissions and improvement in emission intensity
over time.



Robust mitigation commitments. Economy-wide absolute targets combined with
emission budgets are the most robust commitment type. They have a number of
advantages including certainty, transparency, flexibility and, if used widely, reducing
the risk of carbon leakage. In line with the idea of progression over time, all countries
that already have such targets should maintain and increase these against a historic
base year or reference period. G20 and other high-income countries that do not have
absolute targets under the Protocol from 2020 should commit to do so by 2025 at the

7

latest. Other emerging economies and middle-income countries are encouraged to do
so as early as possible and not later than 2030.
4.

ENSURING DYNAMISM THROUGH REGULAR REVIEW OF TARGETS

The Protocol should set out a process, applicable to all Parties, to regularly review and
strengthen mitigation commitments, consistent with the Protocol's long term goal. If Parties'
collective efforts fall short of what is necessary, the process should encourage Parties to raise
the level of ambition of existing commitments and formulate sufficiently ambitious
commitments in subsequent target periods.
Starting in 2020, the review should be repeated every five years and facilitate transparency,
clarity and understanding of mitigation commitments in light of their contribution to the
below 2°C objective. The review should invite Parties to explain progress on their mitigation
commitments and why they think their actions have been fair and ambitious.
The process should be informed by science, be evidence-based, and be guided by
considerations of evolving responsibilities, capabilities and different national circumstances.
It should be simple, efficient, and avoid duplication of other processes. The arrangements for
the review cycle should be improved over time to stay on track to achieve the below 2°C
objective.
The Protocol and accompanying decisions by the Conference of the Parties (COP) need to
provide for the dynamic mobilisation of climate finance, technology transfer and capacity
building for eligible Parties, particularly those with least capabilities. This will include
processes to regularly assess and improve the adequacy and effectiveness of the means of
implementation mobilised by the GCF, the Global Environmental Facility (GEF), and other
relevant institutions. Support for Parties to regularly review and strengthen their approaches
to adaptation over time will also need to be ensured in Paris.
5.

STRENGTHENING TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY

The Protocol must set out the key elements of a common transparency and accountability
system, applicable to all Parties. This must include robust rules on monitoring, reporting,
verification and accounting, and a process for holding each Party accountable for achieving
its commitments. This system will be essential to provide confidence that each Party is
implementing its commitments and is on track to meet its target. It will also be crucial to
build trust, encourage ambition, and to provide predictability and legal certainty. As such,
Parties should submit, at the latest by the time of ratification, the most recent set of annual
emissions inventories from 2010 covering the period up to 2015.
This system should be fit for the long term. While it must be sufficiently flexible to cater for
a diverse range of commitment types, national capabilities and circumstances, this flexibility
should not undermine transparency, accountability and ambition. Independent expert review
teams should conduct regular reviews. The new Protocol should recognise net transfers
between those countries that have decided to link their domestic carbon markets and this
should be taken into account when evaluating compliance.

8

Finally, the Protocol should establish a body to facilitate implementation and address
questions that are raised over compliance with regard to the implementation of any Party's
commitments. This body should focus on commitments related to mitigation, including
monitoring, reporting, verification and accounting. The body should be expert and nonpolitical, with its mandate to be specified in the Protocol.
6.

ACHIEVING CLIMATE RESILIENCE THROUGH ADAPTATION

While ambitious mitigation action is essential, it will be equally important to encourage
individual and collaborative actions to prepare for and adapt to the adverse impacts of climate
change. The role of the land use sector with regard to resilience of food security, and other
environmental, social and economic benefits are key to this work. The EU's strategy on
adaptation, complementing Member States' strategies, aims to develop a more climateresilient Europe. Ecosystem-based adaptation can reduce flood risk and soil erosion as well as
improve water and air quality.
In the context of achieving climate resilient sustainable development of all Parties, the
Protocol should reinforce the commitments of all Parties to continue to formulate, plan and
implement measures to facilitate adaptation and to report on these through their national
communications. The Protocol should continue to facilitate assistance to those regions and
countries that are particularly vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change, including
through providing financial and technical support and capacity building.
In this way the Protocol will provide further visibility for adaptation action and support, and
strengthen the monitoring and reporting provisions under the UNFCCC. It will also enable
greater understanding of the effectiveness of measures carried out to facilitate adequate
adaptation drawing on national reports and other relevant information, in order to inform
further enhanced action to be undertaken by Parties.
With the adoption of the Protocol, further COP decisions should strengthen the
implementation of the provisions under the Cancun Adaptation Framework and the Nairobi
Work Programme.
7.

PROMOTING IMPLEMENTATION AND COOPERATION

7.1.

Mobilising public and private climate finance

The transformation into low emission climate resilient economies will only be achieved
through large-scale shifts in investment patterns. The Protocol should promote investments in
low emission, climate-resilient programmes and policies. All countries should commit to take
steps to improve their enabling environments for attracting climate friendly investments. In
line with the Commission Communication “A global partnership for Poverty eradication and
Sustainable Development after 2015”, all resources should be effectively used to reach
various internationally agreed sustainable development and climate objectives. Countries in a
position to do so should mobilise financial support for eligible Parties to the Protocol. The
base of financial support needs to be broadened over time as capabilities of Parties change.
Clarity should also be provided by all Parties on the climate impact of financial flows that do

9

not fall within the remit of climate finance. Financing for climate action should continue to
reflect national governments' commitments, enabling environments and investment strategies
post 2020. The amount of climate finance to be mobilised will also depend on the ambition
and quality of the proposed INDCs, subsequent investment plans and national adaptation
planning processes. At this stage, as INDCs and national adaptation planning processes are
not fully known, it is too early to elaborate on the scale and type of climate-related finance
needed post 2020.
Public sector climate finance will continue to play an important in mobilising resources after
2020. The Protocol should also recognise the importance of the private sector as a key source
to scaling up climate finance. The Protocol should clarify the role of the GCF and the GEF in
providing support for implementation. It should provide assurances to the poorest countries
and those most vulnerable to climate change that they will continue to receive priority
support. This can best be achieved if the financing framework of the Protocol is fully
consistent with the Financing for Development process and the post 2015 Development
agenda.
The Protocol should promote the formulation and implementation of strong enabling
environments for the transformation to low emission climate resilient economies including:


ambitious national climate policies;



effective governance, including investment frameworks, price incentives and
financing instruments favouring low-emission and climate resilient investments; and



providing information on how to address climate change.

Carbon pricing and the investment policies of public development banks will play a central
role in this. Mainstreaming climate considerations into all policies, development strategies
and investments is essential to make use of the synergies between development, mitigation
and adaptation financing.
7.2.

Scaling up international cooperative action

Sharing information on experiences with policy design and promoting good practice will
greatly accelerate and broaden climate action. In recent years, the EU has been proactive in
bilateral and multilateral initiatives to do this, e.g. via bilateral policy dialogues on emissions
trading; launching sustainable energy initiatives that contribute to the development of lowcarbon economies; or by promoting the development and practical deployment of adaptation
policies through the Global Climate Change Alliance, which now comprises 38 vulnerable
developing countries and eight regions in Africa, Asia, the Caribbean and the Pacific.
The Protocol should encourage more systematic exchange of experiences within and across
geographical regions, bringing together technical expertise including from specialised
organisations, the private sector, academia, regions and municipalities. The Protocol should
provide for the recognition of significant initiatives that implement and complement national
efforts to reduce emissions and to adapt to the adverse effects of climate change. At the Paris
conference it should also be decided to continue the work programme to identify additional
mitigation action in 2016, working closely with the GCF and other financial institutions. This
10

will be of particular relevance if there is a gap between the aggregate level of ambition of
mitigation commitments and the emission reductions required to achieve the below 2°C
objective.
7.3.

Supporting the development and deployment of climate technologies

The development and deployment of climate technologies has an essential role to play in
meeting climate change objectives, as well as in contributing to job creation and sustainable
economic growth. The combination of research funding, market uptake measures, education
programmes, finance and policies that impose a price on emissions create an enabling
environment for a broad spectrum of technologies. This includes technologies to promote
resilience to extreme weather impacts, climate services and water management systems, as
well as energy production, industrial processes, transport, agriculture, and reducing
deforestation.
Countries choose the most appropriate technological options for themselves, often supported
by technology needs assessments and the Climate Technology Centre and Network (CTCN).
Innovation including the necessary up-scaling of technology transfer is dependent on
voluntary collaboration with private sector actors to develop, finance and deploy a
technology. It is essential to preserve the existing intellectual property rules.
The Protocol should recognise the role already played by the Technology Executive
Committee and the CTCN, in combination with a reformed technology needs assessment
process.
7.4.

Building capacity

Capacity building should be an integral element of support for all Protocol-related activities,
including adaptation planning, reporting obligations, emissions inventories, technology
transfer, and mitigation projects. This should, therefore, be provided through the institutions
responsible for supporting activities in these areas, and must be tailored to country needs.
The existing arrangements under the Convention could be strengthened, although the Durban
Forum on Capacity Building will remain the appropriate space for discussions on this topic.
The EU is actively integrating capacity building in its support to climate action in developing
countries, including in relation to mitigation commitments.
The Paris conference should agree to assist those countries that need assistance to set up
emission inventories, monitoring, reporting and verification systems, and to develop low
emission and climate-resilient development strategies with the right incentive structures.
8.

MOBILISING OTHER EU POLICIES

In the coming months, the EU will step up its climate diplomacy ahead of the Paris
conference. EU Foreign Ministers have endorsed a Climate Diplomacy Action Plan which
was jointly developed by the European External Action Service and the Commission.

11

It includes the following actions:


raising climate change as a strategic priority in political dialogues, including at G7
and G20 meetings and the UN General Assembly;



supporting low-emission and climate and disaster resilient development through EU
development cooperation; and



linking climate change with its potential long-term consequences, including security
challenges.

In addition, other EU policies can actively support the EU’s objectives in the international
negotiation process and the implementation of the Protocol in partner countries. They can
assist partner countries in the preparatory phase of the Protocol and later when implementing
it. These include:


Economic and development cooperation. The EU and its Member States are already
the leading providers of official development assistance and climate finance to
developing countries. The EU delivered more than €9.5 billion of climate finance in
2013. The EU should continue to mainstream climate objectives into its economic and
development cooperation. To this end, for the period 2014-20 it has already been
agreed that at least 20% of the EU development assistance will have to be climaterelevant which is in the order of €14 billion. Member States should also set clear
mainstreaming objectives. Further, the EU and its Member States should step up
coordination on global climate finance to enhance impact and efficiency in delivery.



Scientific research, technology development and innovation policy. The EU will take
better advantage of the fact that its research and innovation framework programme
Horizon 2020 is fully open to third countries' participation and provides financial
support to less developed countries. The EU will promote awareness of its
commitment to invest under this programme at least €28 billion for climate related
actions. A proportion of which will allow broad international collaboration to bring
climate technologies to the markets, to educate scientists and entrepreneurs, and
contributes to climate diplomacy goals.



Trade policy. In its bilateral trade agreements the EU and its free trade partners
commit to promote climate goals and effectively implement the UNFCCC, including
through regular structured dialogues and cooperation on climate and trade issues.
Under the GSP+ scheme the EU offers increased market access to developing
countries that have ratified and effectively implement intentional conventions
including on climate change. In the WTO, the EU is working with its trade partners
towards the conclusion of a significant international agreement with respect to the
liberalisation of trade in environmental goods and services before the end of 2015, in
order to increase the dissemination and uptake of climate-friendly technologies.

12



Environmental policy. Implementing the EU's commitments under the Global
Strategic plan for biodiversity, as endorsed by the EU biodiversity strategy, will be
critical to addressing climate change while generating social, economic and cultural
co-benefits.



Disaster risk reduction. EU cooperation on disaster risk management4 which includes
developing national risk assessments also addressing climate impacts and enhanced
risk management capabilities contributes to strengthening climate adaptation.

9.

NEXT STEPS

The EU needs to:


submit its own INDC by the end of the first quarter 2015;



encourage major economies to take the lead through timely and ambitious INDCs
particularly in the context of the Major Economies Forum, the G20, and the G7;



encourage and support as appropriate the preparation of ambitious INDCs by as many
Parties as possible;



make the promotion of ambitious global climate action a central priority of its
diplomatic relations and dialogue with partner countries;



promote, through the UNFCCC and other multilateral and bilateral discussions, the
adoption of an ambitious, transparent and dynamic Protocol as described above;



demonstrate and ensure the stability and predictability of the financial support the EU
collectively provides to its internatonal partners for low emissions and climateresilient development;



press for the swift liberalisation of trade in environmental goods and services before
the end of 2015;



ensure that climate action is consistent with UN negotiations on Sustainable
Development Goals and Sustainable Development Financing post-2015 and the post
2015 Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction; and



ensure the second commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol is ratified before the end
of 2015 by the EU and its Member States and as many Parties as needed to ensure
entry into force.

The Commission will organise an international conference to improve mutual understanding
of the range of INDCs and the adequacy of their collective ambition, and facilitate an open
exchange of views prior to the Paris conference. This conference will aim to bring together
4

Articles 5 and 6 of Decision 1313/2013 of the European Council and of the Council on a Union Civil
Protection Mechanism

13

partner countries, key experts from academia, think-tanks and international organisations and
will take place by November 2015.
By mid-2015 the Commission will also start to present legislative proposals to implement the
2030 climate and energy framework to the European Parliament and the Council.
The Commission will continue to mainstream climate change action into its economic and
development cooperation; take initiatives to work closer together with Member States in the
delivery of climate relevant development finance; and take better advantage of the openness
of its scientific research and innovation programmes to support its international partners,
assisting them in preparing to carry out their commitments under the new Protocol.
The Commission invites the European Parliament and the Council to endorse the proposed
approach as soon as possible.

14

Table 1: The EU's proposed Intended Nationally Determined Contribution
The Commitment
Type

Absolute reduction from base year emissions.

Coverage

Economy Wide.

Scope

All greenhouse gases not controlled by the Montreal Protocol: Carbon Dioxide
(CO2)
 Methane (CH4)
 Nitrous Oxide (N2O)
 Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs)
 Perfluorocarbons (PFCs)
 Sulphur hexafluoride (SF6)
 Nitrogen trifluoride (NF3)

Base Year

1990.

Period

2021-2030 inclusive.

Reduction Level

Achieving at least 40% domestic reduction in emissions in 2030.

% of Emissions Covered

100%.

Agriculture, forestry and
other land uses included

Yes.

Net
Contribution
of
International
Market
Based Mechanisms

No contribution from international credits.

Planning Process

European Council on 23 and 24 October 2014 approving the 2030 Climate and
Energy Policy Framework (EUCO 169/14). European Commission to prepare
legislative proposals to implement the 2030 framework (Commission Work
Programme 2015), including on land use, land use change and forestry.

Fair and ambitious

This commitment is in-line with EU policies to achieve a transition to a low
emissions economy, allowing for a likely chance to meet the below 2C
objective. It puts the EU on a cost effective pathway towards long term domestic
emission reductions of 80%, consistent with the IPCC's assessment of the
reductions required from developed countries as a group, to reduce emissions by
80-95% compared to 1990 levels by 2050.
The EU has already seen its emissions peak. According to the EDGAR database,
emissions from the EU's 28 Member States peaked in 1979 at around 6.4Gt
CO2equivalent.

Key Assumptions
Metric Applied

Global Warming Potential on a 100 year timescale in accordance with the
IPCC's 4th Assessment Report.

Methodologies for
Estimating Emissions

IPCC Guidelines 2006.

Approach to accounting
for agriculture, forestry
and other land uses

Comprehensive accounting framework, activity or land-based approach, for
emissions and removals from land use, land use change and forestry, building
upon: (i) rules as agreed under 2/CMP.7, applicable COP decisions and the EU's
domestic legislation (Decision 529/2013/EU); and (ii) the current level of
environmental integrity.

15

Coverage
Sectors/Source Categories











Energy
o Fuel Consumption
 Energy industries
 Manufacturing industries and construction
 Transport
 Other sectors
 Other
o Fugitive emissions from fuels
 Solid fuels
 Oil and natural gas
o CO2 transport and storage
Industrial processes and product use
o Mineral industry
o Chemical industry
o Metal industry
o Non-energy products from fuels and solvent use
o Electronic industry
o Product uses as substitutes for ODS
o Other product manufacture and use
o Other
Agriculture
o Enteric fermentation
o Manure management
o Rice cultivation
o Agricultural soils
o Prescribed burning of savannas
o Field burning of agricultural residues
o Liming
o Urea application
o Other carbon-containing fertilisers
o Other
Waste
o Solid waste disposal
o Biological treatment of solid waste
o Incineration and open burning of waste
o Wastewater treatment and discharge
o Other
Land Use, Land-Use Change and Forestry set out in Decision 529/2013/EU
o Afforestation, reforestation
o Deforestation
o Forest management
o Cropland management
o Grazing land management
o Or equivalent land-based account using UNFCCC reporting
categories
o Other categories/activities elected by the EU and its Member States
as Parties to the Kyoto Protocol and its Doha Amendment.

16