Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
common responsibility in addressing climate change since the total emissions of the
two, the largest developing and developed economies, accounts for 30 % of global
emissions. Even so, based on the calculation of per capita and historical emissions,
China's emissions level is far lower than the EU. Therefore, according to the
principle of Common but Differentiated Responsibility,
1
China should not have
the same binding responsibility as the EU to be the most active in emissions
reduction goal, internal emissions reduction mechanism and financing in interna-
tional emissions reduction cooperation.
The effect and implementation of the Kyoto Protocol is unimaginable without
the EU's leading role. The emissions reduction goal put forward by the EU is also
the most radical one among the developed countries in the Copenhagen conference.
The EU decided to annually provide 2.4 billion Euros to the emissions assistance
fund of 30 billion USD agreed by the developed countries for the developing
countries from 2010 to 2012 based on the Copenhagen Accord.
2
The European citizens also share a strong agreement with the EU governments
in addressing climate change. According to the poll co-conducted by the EU
Commission and EU Parliament, 57 % of interviewees believed climate change is
the most severe environmental threat to the world.
3
Therefore, political elections
have not influenced EU climate change policies
4
(in sharp contrast with the
divergence in American society).
5
1
United Nations, 1992, UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), New York:
United Nations. Article 3 of the UNFCCC states that “parties should protect the climate system for
the benefit of future and present generations of human kind on the basis of equity and in
accordance with their common but differentiated responsibility and respective capabilities.
Accordingly, developed countries should take the lead in combating climate change and the
adverse effects thereof”.
2
European Commission, International climate policy post-Copenhagen: Acting now to reinvigo-
rate global action on climate change, Communication From The Commission To The European
Parliament, The Council, The European Economic And Social Committee And The Committee Of
The Regions,COM(2010) 86 final Brussels, March 9, 2010.
3
Eurobarometer CEC (2008),
'Europeans'
attitudes
towards
climate
change', Special
Eurobarometer Report 300
Wave 69.2 - TNS Opinion & Social, European Commission, Brussels, September 2008,
http://
ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/archives/ebs/ebs_300_full_en.pdf
;
Institute For European Environ-
mental Policy,Natural Resources Defense Council, A Joint Project By Climate Change And
Sustainable Energy Policies In Europe And The United States a Report From The Transatlantic
Platform For Action On The Global Environment,
http://www.ieep.eu/publications/pdfs/tpage/
4
Take UK as an example, though the Labor Party was replaced by the Conservative Party in the
2010 election, her climate change policy didn't see much change. Based on the authors' interview
with the UK diplomatic officials in Beijing, June 15, 2010.
5
Barry G. Rabe and Christopher P. Borick, The Climate of Belief: American Public Opinion on
Climate, Change Governance Studies at Brookings, No. 11, January 30 2010,
http://
rabe_borick
(Accessed 2012-9-12)
