Another step forward in combating climate change
How can global warming be restricted to less than 2° Celsius? The question was debated on 25 and 26 May in Paris, where 17 nations came together to prepare for the Major Economies Forum on energy and climate and discuss ways of limiting greenhouse gas emissions. An issue to which France has shown a firm commitment.
"Copenhagen will be a meeting for humanity," stated Jean-Louis Borloo, the French Minister of Ecology, Energy, Sustainable Development and Regional Planning shortly before the second preparatory meeting (1) of the Major Economies Forum, held in Paris on 25 and 26 May. Looking ahead to the United Nations conference on the climate scheduled to take place in the Danish capital in December 2009, the Minister underlined the importance of the MEF (2) in France’s eyes. Indeed the country is approaching the forum as a means of "facilitating a frank and open dialogue between the major developed nations and developing countries, in order to generate the political impetus needed to reach an ambitious agreement on climate in Copenhagen", according to a press release from Jean-Louis Borloo and Bernard Kouchner, the Minister for Foreign and European affairs. On 25 and 26 May, 17 nations (3), plus the European Union, which alone are responsible for 80% of the planet’s greenhouse gases, therefore discussed targets for reducing emissions, methods of action appropriate to different countries, how to finance the fight against climate change and international cooperation on technology.
Top marks for France
The top priority is to limit global warming to less than 2° Celsius, given that beyond that point, in the view of the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change), the planet would tip over into irreversible change. This presupposes that by 2020, industrialised countries will have reduced their emissions by at least 25 to 40% compared with 1990, a target recognised by the international community at the Bali conference in 2007. Whilst the United States, despite its new involvement, has told the MEF that it could not exceed 6%, France, for its part, has confirmed its determination to keep to the timetable. Regarding American efforts as inadequate, Jean-Louis Borloo recalls the exemplary commitment of the 27 European Member States and France in particular. "Under the French presidency, the European Union set up a rigorous quantifiable system that could be evaluated country by country and sector by sector, called the energy and climate package. Set up at the end of 2008, the package provides for a reduction of 20% in greenhouse gas emissions in Europe by 2020 and 30% in the event of satisfactory agreements being reached in Copenhagen. In particular, the minister is pleased to point out, Eurostat believes that France will have "reduced its emissions by 22.8 points in 2020 compared with 1990, i.e. more than the proportion set out in the energy and climate package, which is 14%".
France is determined to make a commitment towards developing countries and in addition is instigating a process that aims to develop renewable energies in Africa. As far as developing countries are concerned, the meeting in Paris has played a part in making progress on the crucial question of financing actions to help them to adapt. In particular, the participants were attracted by the idea of setting up a "Green Fund". Funded by contributions from the richest countries, calculated pro rata of their gross domestic product and past and current emissions, the fund would be used to finance programmes for combating global warming in accordance with each nation’s needs. An initiative proposed by Mexico which will no doubt soon be discussed further, since the next preparatory meeting for the MEF will be held in mid-June… in Mexico.
Florence Raynal
1) The first was held in Washington, in April.
2) The MEF will be held in July alongside the G8 + 5 summit in L’Aquila (Italy).
3) The G8 countries, South Africa, Brazil, China, India, Mexico, Australia, South Korea and Indonesia, plus Denmark (as president of the Copenhagen conference).