WWF UK feels the European Union need to put forward concrete commitments and accept a larger role in helping developing nations to reduce their emissions. They feel that Europe needs to do more than simply reduce emissions by 30% by 2020.
Instead of just committing to achieving these reductions, funding should be put aside to help developing nations achieve their emissions reductions, which would be equivalent to a further 15% of Europe’s level of emissions.
Leader of the WWF New Global Deal on Climate initiative, Kim Carstensen, said –
‘Europe needs to stop anticipating what the rest of the world might do and concentrate on what Europe should do if it wants to reclaim the reputation of leading in the fight against climate change. Europe’s starting point has to be its own stated objective of a world staying below the average 2 °C warming that is the threshold level for unacceptable risks, and the 25-40 per cent cuts in emissions by 2020 that developed countries need to achieve to stay within this margin of safety.’
The WWF described money on the table as ‘the make or break issue’ for developing nations to substantially reduce their emissions, with the UN retaining a central role in distribution of funds additional to existing aid.
The way we live is leading to environmental threats such as climate change, species extinction, deforestation, water shortages and the collapse of fisheries. WWF’s One Planet Future Campaign is working to help people live a good quality of life within the earth’s capacity.
