The 40% Seminar

The 40% Seminar

Seminar on 40% emission cuts in the EU by 2020:
Mobilising Europe to achieve climate justice

European Parliament – April 27th 2010

Download presentations:

• Charles Heaps, SEI, "Europe's Share of the Climate Challenge"
• Adrian Gault, UK Committee on Climate Change, "The UK Climate Change Act 2008"
• David Caro, FSB, "Keen to go Green - small businesses decarbonising their economy"
  
• Randall Bowie, EURIMA, "Why Deep Renovations are Essential to Achieving a 40% Target and Make Sense Economically" 
• Introduction from Corinne Lepage, MEP

A study released by Stockholm Environment Institute in partnership with Friends of the Earth Europe has proved for the first time that Europe could more than double its current greenhouse gas emission reduction target for 2020.

The 40% seminar discussed:

• what scale of emission cuts are technically feasible in Europe by 2020 (and 2050)
• how EU climate policy compares to what science and the EU’s historical responsibility tells us is necessary
• how EU policy can be improved in the short and medium term

Speakers included:

• Director General of DG Energy
  
• DG Climate Action
• Stockholm Environment Institute
• EURIMA (European Insulation Manufacturers Association)
• UK Committee on Climate Change

The speakers at this seminar showed that the EU can do a lot more to combat climate change than its current commitments, and needs to adopt stronger targets for emission reductions, as well as an overarching climate policy framework.

Following these presentations, panellists discussed how new legislation such as a legally binding EU energy efficiency target, in addition to the already existing renewables target, can help to achieve the necessary 40% domestic emission reductions. They also looked at how an overarching policy tool modelled on the UK climate law can be applied at the European level.

This seminar was organised by Friends of the Earth Europe, working with members of The European People’s Party,  The Greens / European Free Alliance in the European Parliament, the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe and the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats.

The 40% Seminar Agenda | About the study | Download the 40% study