EU helps move world closer to global deal - but we're still on a pathway to 3 degrees

11 December 2011

The most important thing that happened in Durban is that we saved the Kyoto Protocol and secured a roadmap to negotiate a new treaty by 2015. But the agreement lacks specific measures to further reduce greenhouse gases. The Durban deal will also not make a contribution to closing the gap between the reductions needed to stay below a 2°C temperature rise and what countries have pledged.

We were happy to see the EU playing a constructive role in Durban by creating alliances with the small island states (AOSIS) and the least developed countries (LDCs), making genuine efforts to move the negotiations forward. Given the relative success of this summit, the EU now needs to urgently deal with its own low emission reduction ambition and start increasing its target well beyond 30%.