Germany Cutting Emissions by 40%
While many countries came away from Copenhagen disappointed and with no clear greenhouse gas strategy, Germany has stated that they will stand by their goal of cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 40 percent by 2020, despite the woolly promises of their Western allies.
Hans Joachim Schellnhuber, head of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, said that despite the fact that it was unclear whether the entire EU would even pursue its 30 percent target, which is due to be submitted to the UN Climate Change Secretariat by the end of the month, Germany was going to raise their goals.
In what would appear to be an act of ‘throwing down the gauntlet’ at other Western countries, Germany have raised their 2020 target from 30 to 40 percent. It is hoped that along with this, and an EU offer to raise its goal from 20 to 30 percent, it will inspire countries around the world to make the cuts that should have been agreed at Copenhagen.
Universally derided as a failure, the Copenhagen conference only managed to set a goal of limiting global warming to a maximum 2 degrees Celsius over pre-industrial times, but a way of achieving this was not specified or discussed.
Energy Market Landscape: Germany
Speaking to reports, Schellnhuber said, “Germany has a firm target that the government has even spelled out in its coalition agreement to cut its emissions by 40 percent.”
“That’s unconditional. Germany will continue to be a driving force. Copenhagen was a setback. There was no deal. But maybe we can use the shock from that to overcome the hurdles in front of us,”
“The game isn’t over yet,”he added. “The dice haven’t fallen yet. We still have the chance in the multilateral system to reach a worthwhile agreement.”
Germany is the world’s sixth largest emitter of greenhouse gases, and despite industry groups concerned that further cuts could result in job cuts, the country has created hundreds of thousands of green tech jobs in the last decade.
Source: euinfrastructure.com
See Related Report: Energy Market Landscape: Germany
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