Lamy on Copenhagen and other Stories

Dear all,

Worth noting that the D-G of the WTO has posted a warning to... well, the world I guess, about the upcoming Copenhagen conference on Climate Change.

http://www.wto.org/english/news_e/sppl_e/sppl140_e.htm

An interesting read.

Also worth noting that the EU has agreed among itself that it will offer a 95% reduction in emissions by 2050 and 30% by 2020 if a substantive deal can be reached with other countries (the USA, China, India, etc.). Further, the EU will pay "its fair share" of the estimated £90bn required to help developing countries deal with the ramifications of climate change.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2009/oct/21/europe-carbon-emissions
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/8334146.stm

Is this genuine leadership at last? Jose Manuel Barroso says "[the EU] can look the others in the eye", but I suspect that they have failed to address one of the pressing issues, which is that any agreement seems to hinge on others at least making a similar commitment to the offer made by the EU.

Why should the EU be dependent on other countries to make its own commitments? Only a desire not to lose face or competitive advantage against those who seem reluctant to drive forward their own domestic environmental agendas. While this may be understandable from an economist's perspective, would Barroso be willing to look future generations in the eye when he explains, weakly, with his cheeks further reddening as every syllable passes his lips, "sorry, we didn't do everything in our power to address climate change because other countries wouldn't do it too". Clearly the EU has either a) acknowledged that a 95% reduction in 40 years is achievable, in which case that commitment should be made irrespective of the position of other nations; or b) they have set a target which is so unpalatable to other nations that they know they will never be held to it - yet when the dust settles on a fruitless Copenhagen, the soundbites will be prepared and the blame apportioned elsewhere.

Either way, games are being played.