Publications

The agreed global goal is to limit temperature rise to 1.5°C. Now countries must act to make this happen.

This briefing explains the scientific and political process which led to countries committing explicitly to limit temperature rise to 1.5°C. Instrumental to these decisions was a process called: the Periodic Review of the long-term global goal under the Convention and of overall progress towards achieving it (PR2). The briefing also gives an overview how the Kyoto Protocol was implemented and which greenhouse gas reductions were achieved.

This policy brief provides an overview of the proposals for the ETS-2 covering road transport and buildings. The amendments and guidance by the European Parliament and the Council are assessed and compared to the proposal by the European Commission. In addition, we provide recommendations for each assessed issue to enhance the effectiveness of the ETS while trying to minimise practical obstacles which would impede its introduction.

This report presents technically feasible 1.5°C compatible energy and emissions pathways for the EU27 and assesses whether the EU’s current 2030 climate targets are aligned with limiting warming to 1.5°C. The report finds that, to be 1.5°C compatible, the EU27 would need to cut its domestic emissions faster than currently planned.

Short briefing which calculates, based on methodology developed by the London School of Economics, what the costs of action and inaction would be for several EU scenarios. The briefing finds that current policies would lead to a GDP loss of 7.11%/year by 2100, while implementing the Fit for 55 proposals would lead to an annual loss of 2.58%. Opting for a real 1.5°C compatible pathway on the other hand would lead to an increase of GDP of 0.84%. The benefits of increasing ambition are thus also important in economic terms. In particular for future generations as they will foot the bill of our inaction.

This briefing highlights why the EU needs to reduce its emissions well beyond 55% in order to contribute its fair share to the global effort to limit temperature rise to 1.5°C as envisaged by the Paris Agreement.