Wanted: a climate leader

According to the European Union environment ministers, the EU is not
going to move from the 20-percent cut into the 30-percent
cut in GHG emissions in comparisons to the 1990 level. The EU promised
ahead of Copenhagen that the block would cut the GHG emissions by 30 percent, if other industrialized countries took similar steps.

The debate is escalating because the UN deadline
is approaching; the countries are supposed to announce their cuts by
the end of January.

Several environmental organizations estimate, that the numbers, which
have been on the table, will lead to around 3.5 degrees of climate
warming by the year 2100.

What will the 3.5 degrees warming cause to the world? Impacts are
different in diverse regions, but worldwide the estimated impacts of a
3-degree temperature rise include half of the world's animal species
facing extinction and half a billion people threatened with starvation.

The nominee for European climate commissioner, Connie Hedegaard, told
a European Parliament hearing that she hoped the EU's conditions for
moving to 30 percent would be met before the meeting set for Mexico
later this year. According to the environmental organizations this is
not enough, the EU should raise its commitment to 40 percent. The
climate policy needs a plenty of more ambition before the meeting in
Mexico.

There have also been estimates that the EU is losing its position in
the world politics. Neither the USA or the rising economies have shown
any willingness to lead the world into a low carbon era. Also the
position of UNFCCC as a basis of climate negotiations has been
questioned. But who or what would be a better climate leader?

Martta Kantele