Press release
16 March 2010
Ministry of the Environment
Sweden wants the EU to prepare for a second commitment period under the Kyoto Protocol
At the Council meeting in Brussels on Monday, the EU environment ministers will discuss whether the EU should enter into a second commitment period under the Kyoto Protocol.
"Sweden wants the EU to announce that it is ready for a second commitment period," says Minister for the Environment Andreas Carlgren.
The conditions are that a sufficient number of industrialised countries make new commitments and that the United States makes equivalent commitments. The fastest growing economies among the developing countries also need to make commitments.
The EU environment ministers are preparing themselves following the Copenhagen conference and are now to discuss this year´s climate negotiations on the basis of the Commission's communication `Acting now to reinvigorate global action on climate change´. According to the communication, a legally binding agreement will probably be difficult to achieve in Mexico and therefore the question arises of what is to apply until a comprehensive agreement involving all countries is in place.
Commitments under the Kyoto Protocol, however, account for only 30 per cent of global emissions.
"Sweden considers it important to send a clear signal in the climate negotiations. Our Copenhagen ambitions remain: one single agreement for all the world´s countries is essential and is the long-term solution for tackling the challenge of climate change. World leaders were not ready in Copenhagen and those of us at the forefront of climate change action now need to continue to specify our commitments for the short-term as well. A clear EU line is needed so a decision can be presented at the important negotiations in the spring," says Mr Carlgren.
When the negotiations at the UN Climate Change Summit in Copenhagen in December were blocked and then resulted in the Copenhagen Accord, a second commitment period never arose as an issue that the EU needed to take a position on.
"The EU is fully ready to enter into a legally binding agreement, but is aware that this will be difficult to achieve in Cancun in Mexico this autumn. We will focus on achieving concrete results on selected issues. It is also important then that the world's countries live up to the commitments to fund rapid action in developing countries."
The Copenhagen Accord contains `fast start´ commitments amounting to a total of EUR 2.4 billion per year (2010-2012) from the EU. To be able to demonstrate that we are meeting our commitments, clear reporting is key. Sweden will contribute a total of EUR 800 million to `fast start´ commitments over 2010-2012.
Sweden also supports the Commission´s initiatives for a sustainable economy by 2050, an analysis of the targets for 2030 and the impact of, and steps required for, a 30 per cent reduction in the EU climate targets for 2020. The ultimate aim is to reduce emissions in the EU by 80-95 per cent by 2050.
"I welcome the fact that the Commission is now preparing the steps for a decision in the EU for a 30 per cent reduction in climate emissions by 2020, and also on what is needed for us to be able to achieve the reductions of up to 95 per cent by 2050 established under the Swedish Presidency," says Mr Carlgren.
Contact
Lennart BodénPress Secretary to Andreas Carlgren
Karin Rappsjö-Emanuelli
Political Adviser
+46 708 39 02 06
