Germany wants tougher emission targets back on negotiating table

Germany has asked for the climate roadmap 2050 to be put on the agenda of the environment minister’s meeting on 11 June in Luxembourg, a spokesman for the Danish presidency has confirmed.

This would resume the debate on whether the EU should work towards emission reduction targets beyond the current commitment of 20% by 2020 from the 1990 level. If the target deepens, this could help support carbon prices in phase III of the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS), which runs from 2013 to 2020.

The EU’s “Roadmap Towards a Low-Carbon Economy 2050” is set to provide deeper emissions targets for the block and to tackle the issue of oversupply in the EU ETS.

In March, Poland blocked the adoption of the roadmap, which includes targets of 40% by 2030, 60% by 2040 and 80% by 2050 (see EDCM 8 March 2012). The country had already rejected a proposal to increase emission targets to 25% by 2020 in June last year.

The Danish presidency spokesman told ICIS that Germany believes it can get Poland to change its mind on the reduction targets and has thus asked for the roadmap to be put back on the upcoming agenda.

The spokesman had previously said it was unlikely that the Danish presidency, which will last only until end-June, would pick up the issue again unless Poland signalled willingness to negotiate.

EU member states have already agreed to offer a conditional 30% by 2020 reduction target at UN-led climate treaty negotiations, provided other major economies also agree to tougher cuts. The Commissioner for Climate Action Connie Hedegaard has recently said that she does expects a formal agreement on such ambitious targets to made only after the next round of international climate change negotiations in Doha, Qatar, at the end of this year (see EDCM 8 May 2012). RB