Jo Leinen
Jo Leinen is Chairman of the European Parliament's Committee on the Environment, Health and Food Safety.
International Trade and the Fight Against Climate Change
In the fight against climate change international trade can be either part of the problem or part of the solution. Both policy areas are closely intertwined. Just consider the millions of tons of goods ranging from T-shirts to raw materials that are transported across the globe, creating 23% of global CO2 emissions. Obviously, it would [...]
Europe’s New Climate Narrative – The Race is On!
It was an unexpected move and a surprise for many observers of Europe’s climate policy: German Environment Minister Norbert Röttgen, French Environment Minister Jean-Louis Borloo and UK Energy and Climate Change Minister Chris Huhne jointly called for a more ambitious European climate target in international newspapers two weeks ago. A reduction target of at least [...]
Introducing a European Carbon Tax: The Missing Piece in Europe’s Climate Strategy?
Once in a while, usually at the beginning of his turn in office, the EU Commissioner for Taxes approaches member state governments with a specific proposal: a European carbon tax. While in the past, this attempt seemed both brave and hopeless at the same time, the attempt could actually win some support this year. The [...]
Where is the Money? Europe Should Keep its Promises
The following questions were hotly debated in last year’s European Council meetings: How much financial assistance should Europe deliver in the run up to Copenhagen? In which time-frame, and under which conditions? With the financial and economic crisis in the back of everyone’s minds, none of the 27 heads of state and government attending last [...]
‘Plan B’ for International Climate Negotiations
The roadmap for the next Conference of the Parties to the UNFCCC in Mexico is clear: The EU wants a comprehensive and legally binding outcome at the end of this year. To achieve this already in 2010 should be the fundamental goal of Europe’s climate strategy. This is not only urgent because the world has [...]
Green Transport – The Next Step in Europe’s Climate Strategy
Reviewing and improving its climate protection strategy will be one of the main challenges facing Europe over the next couple of months. Generating new ideas and ensuring adequate preparation are essential before the world resumes negotiations in Mexico. During her hearing in the European Parliament’s Environment Committee, the new Commissioner for Climate Action, Connie Hedegaard, [...]
Time to Put the Cards on the Table
On the 31st of January 2010, it is time to put the cards on the table. The ‘Copenhagen Accord’, a document that was presented during the last plenary session of COP 15 and which serves as a basis for the international negotiations until the next climate conference in Mexico at the end of 2010, requests [...]
Lessons learned? Perspectives for post-Copenhagen
The UN climate summit in Copenhagen has failed to achieve its main purpose: To seal a global deal that will lead the way towards a low-carbon world. There can be no doubt about this dramatic shortcoming. Despite all the public attention and all the scientific recommendations for immediate action, over 100 heads of states and [...]
Protecting Tropical Forests – More than a side event in the run up to Copenhagen
Deforestation and its impacts as a topic of international climate negotiations have been underestimated for too long. While the Fourth Assessment Report of the IPCC calculates that deforestation accounts for around 20 percent of global greenhouse gases, recent scientific findings emphasise that this figure might be much higher. Therefore, deforestation comes after energy supply and [...]
Adapting to Climate Change: A Test for sustainable Policymaking
The international climate negotiations in Copenhagen are just a few days away and we can already see parties moving towards the final showdown. Debates about national commitments are heating up and diplomatic efforts are getting more and more serious. Despite this growing attention, public debates are primarily concentrating on the nature of reduction targets, on [...]
A strong Outcome in Copenhagen is our only Chance
The year 2009 will be crucial for the future of our climate and our environment. In 1992, the Earth Summit and in 1997, the adoption of the Kyoto protocol already laid the basis for this next milestone year. For the Copenhagen Summit from 7th to 18th December 2009, the world’s countries have dedicated themselves to [...]
