The European Parliament is preparing to vote on what is up to now the world's largest legislation package responding to climate change. So far, developing countries have not participated in international climate policies, but industrial countries cannot effectively combat climate change alone. We therefore need to include developing countries in our climate agreements, starting with next year's climate change summit in Copenhagen.
The Kyoto Protocol on climate change has emphasised the commitments and responsibilities of industrialised countries. This has led to the current situation, in which developing countries do not face binding emission reductions. Even though many ratified the agreement, it excludes their participation. But the 2007 UN Bali Convention on Climate Change provided evidence of the willingness of developing countries to fight climate change. We should help them in this.
I think it is extremely important that developing countries take action as well. They are expected to be the main emitters of greenhouse gas emissions in the 21st century. Developing countries also have a big potential for absorption of greenhouse gases through their natural capital, mainly forests, and can thus contribute a great deal to mitigation.
Sustainable forestry can make a significant contribution to a low-cost global emission reduction strategy. At current rates, deforestation releases 50% more CO2 per year than the entire European energy sector. The EU proposal excludes forest-based carbon credits from the emissions trading scheme (ETS) and so discourages forest-based clean development mechanism (CDM) projects in developing countries. But developing countries should be encouraged to participate in the international climate change framework. Putting an emphasis on sustainable forestry can stimulate this.
We should facilitate developing countries in joining the international climate regime by broadening our commitments. Agree-ments on financing mitigation measures in the developing world should be included. At least 50% of the revenues from auctioning ETS allowances should be used to support energy and climate innovation, and to support developing countries that have ratified the Kyoto Protocol. Invest-ments in climate-friendly technologies and transfer of these technologies should be made to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the developing world.
Further action is needed to comply with the goal set by the Bali Convention. This way, we can stabilise the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Until developing countries take on binding targets, a ‘one-sided' trading regime can reduce their emissions, in which developing countries are rewarded for reducing emissions, but are not punished when they fail to do so. This is also the idea behind the CDM. Market-based instruments, such as emissions trading or emissions taxation are ways of achieving climate policy goals. They can help transfer technology to developing countries, which could make it more attractive to ‘join the club'.
And only with developing countries on board can climate policy be successful.
Dutch centre-right (EPP-ED) MEP Lambert van Nistelrooij is a member of the Parliament's temporary committee on climate change.
