EU negotiation position in Cancoon: an opinion from grass-root organizations

Dear network members

As we all know EU commission is pushing for the adoption of the proposal to move beyond the 20% greenhouse gas emission target. This will be the EU proposal at Cancoon.

It is indeed true that in Eastern Europe the implementation of the EU "20-20-20" targets is already difficult to achieve. However there is a credibility issue at stake.

Let me be clearer. Europe cannot ask for more severe emission reduction targets to other countries if itself is not able to do that at home. And within Europe, certainly Eastern Europe is where the increase in emission targets is more difficult.

As a European network of grass-root organizations we are consulting ourselves to achieve a consensus for more aggressive emission reduction targets.

We also expect to include REDDs in the Cancoon negotiations and their incorporation in the next protocol. It is essential not to see energy, emission reductions and forest conservation as different issues but indeed all different parts of the same problem.

For that reason APK network ask the EU commission to have a strong position on the negotiation table in Cancoon to achieve a world reduction of CO2 emissions within a definite framework which includes all the different aspects of the climate change issue.

M. Buonomo

APK