The Council adopted conclusions in which it expresses concern at the increasing scientific evidence of climate change and its adverse environmental, social, economic and security impacts. In this context, it reiterates the urgency of taking action to meet the ultimate objective of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change of stabilising greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system. It reaffirms that, with a view to meeting this objective, overall global mean surface temperature increase should not exceed 2°C above pre-industrial levels.
The Council emphasises that a global shift to low greenhouse gas emitting economies and the integration of climate protection goals in all sectors in all countries, in particular in the energy system, is required urgently in order to achieve the ultimate objective of the Convention and that this must be an integral part of and will actively contribute to the general endeavour to achieve sustainable development in its economic, social and environmental dimensions.
Moreover, it reaffirms the resolve of the European Community and its Member States listed in Annex B to the Kyoto Protocol to meet their Kyoto Protocol commitments and recalls that the European Community and its Member States have reported on demonstrable progress through actions already taken. It underlines the importance of the immediate and effective implementation of agreed policies and measures and recognises that the implementation of planned additional policies and measures is needed.
The Council looks forward to COP 12 and COP/MOP 2 and considers it important that this first meeting in Sub-Saharan Africa should bring special focus on issues which are of particular importance to developing countries. It notes that many of these countries, including the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Small Island Developing States (SIDS), are particularly vulnerable to climate change.
Other salient issues were also discussed by the Council:
- the central role of technology in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and adapting to climate change;
- that both "push" and "pull" factors need to be considered when addressing the full chain of research and development, deployment, diffusion and transfer of technologies in the short and long term;
- the importance of fully exploiting opportunities provided by deployment of existing and emerging technologies, in particular those related to energy efficiency and renewable energy sources;
- the emergence of technologies such as carbon capture and geological storage as part of the full range of mitigation technologies and that relevant technical, legal and accounting issues have to be addressed to minimise environmental risks;
- the commitment to exploring options to reduce emissions from deforestation in developing countries, in synergy with efforts undertaken in other fora;
- the importance of using project-based mechanisms during the first commitment period and beyond in a global framework and that such mechanisms rely in particular on the continued existence of binding quantified emission limitation or reduction commitments beyond 2012;
- that the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) provides important opportunities for supporting sustainable development in developing countries and for achieving cost-effective emission reductions;
- the need to ensure the strengthening of the capacities of less developed countries, particularly in Africa, to prepare and administer CDM projects, including through learning-by-doing project implementation;
- the important role market-based instruments, in particular emissions trading, together with project-based mechanisms have and should have in a future arrangement to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions;
- that the EU Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS) is the nucleus of this market and a key driver of its expansion; the Council recalls its intention to consider establishing links with other mandatory emission trading schemes so as to develop an efficient global emissions trading market;
- the forthcoming Commission proposal on the inclusion of aviation in the EU ETS.
Lastly, the Council emphasises that due to the number of provisions and elements of the Kyoto Protocol needing to be updated and reviewed in light of experience, this work should start immediately and an adequate forum should be found in which to carry it out in a complete, thorough and efficient manner.