Climate Report 2014

Since 2009, on February 16, the anniversary of the Kyoto Protocol, the Sustainable Development Foundation resumes in a report the main climate indicators and the state of the art of the international negotiations.

Furthermore, the report includes an early assessment of national GHG emissions, two years ahead of official data, and a frame of policy proposals to be supported at national, European and international level.

 

Among the major outcomes of the 2014 report we emphasize that:

• at global level, the Kyoto Protocol has achieved and exceeded the goal of a 5% reduction in GHG emissions of Annex I countries for the period 2008-2012 compared to the baseline 1990. This, however, was not enough to meet the goal of climate stabilization as specified by the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). In fact, GHG emissions have grown by over 30% since year 1990 and the CO2 concentration in the atmosphere has raised to 400 ppm.

• The European Union has largely achieved the objectives of the Kyoto Protocol (-16% compared to year 1990, against a target of -8%) and is in line with the targets resumed in the so called EU 2020 climate and energy package also for renewable energy production quotas and savings from energy efficiency.

• Italy has basically succeeded to meet its Kyoto Protocol target, namely -6,5% GHG emissions compared to year 1990. Although the economic crisis played a role in reducing emissions, this result has been achieved mainly thanks to the adopted policies in support of renewable energy production and energy efficiency.

• The path to fulfil the UNFCCC objectives is still long and very challenging and in order to meet the goals of the climate roadmap a stronger commitment from the world community is required. The approach of the Kyoto Protocol should be revised and enforced according to new emerging realities. Europe and Italy can play an active role by supportingnew and challenging 2030 climate targetsto be achieved by promoting virtuous business models towards a green economy.

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