The European Commission has put out a call for the opinions of stakeholders and the public alike on what needs to feature in the next global agreement on climate change, with the launch Tuesday (March 26) of a consultative paper containing questions aimed at shaping the debate.
The paper, titled ”The 2015 International Climate Change Agreement: Shaping international climate policy beyond 2020,” was launched ahead of a stakeholder conference being organized by the commission on April 17.
Responses will feed into the European Union’s position on a new international agreement aimed at tackling climate change, which is expected to be adopted by 2015 and implemented in 2020. The EU had pushed for a new global climate deal at COP 17 — the 2011 United Nations Climate Change Conference held in Durban, South Africa — that would also involve emerging economies such as China.
“An ambitious international agreement in which all major economies commit to take action according to their current and future capabilities is vital if we are to succeed. This paper is an invitation to help shape the EU’s position and contribute to getting the strongest possible deal in 2015,” European Commissioner for Climate Action Connie Hedegaard said.
The consultation will run through June 26. Some of the questions raised in the paper include the following:
How can the 2015 agreement most effectively encourage the mainstreaming of climate change in all relevant policy areas?
What should be the future role of the convention and specifically the 2015 agreement in the decade up to 2030 with respect to finance, market-based mechanisms and technology?
How should countries be held accountable when they fail to meet their commitments?
How could the U.N. climate negotiating process be improved to better support reaching an inclusive, ambitious, effective and fair 2015 agreement and ensure its implementation?
How can the EU best invest in and support processes and initiatives outside the convention to pave the way for an ambitious and effective 2015 agreement?
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