Global challenges with local solutions

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This coming week we will see the result from the UN negotiations on Climate Change. We are also feeling the heat of the upcoming EU Summit. Will the result of the two summits be step to integrate the both the finance and debt crises with the development of the low carbon economy? As many business leaders and local Mayors already find out – the integration of economy, ecology and social targets is good sustainable business and political model. Will the national political leaders show leadership as many business leaders and mayors do? The EU Summit have many oppurtunities to link the economy crises to the development of the low carbon economy. In the last weeks we could read in the The EU Climate Policy Tracker that many EU policies assist the member states in formulating ambitious climate policies, with the Renewable Energy Directive and the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive as examples. How do the climatepolicies at EU-level compare to what is necessary to reach a low-carbon economy in 2050? This is what the The EU Climate Policy Tracker says: Some EU policies that prescribe harmonised rules, such as the Ecodesign Directive or the cap on the Emission Trading System, are too weak but also restrictive – the risk inherent in such policy approaches. Some areas important for a path towards a low-carbon economy are not, or only very indirectly, covered by the EU: targets beyond 2020, investments in electricity grids and distribution, redesign of products, energy efficiency in industry, retrofit of existing buildings, freight transport and low-carbon agriculture policy. In evaluating current policy and plans on the table for the future, the Policy Tracker find that: - The present EU-level policy package is insufficiently stringent to reach 2050 low-carbon goals. - EU-level policies on renewables are more stringent than those on energy efficiency. The EU’s new plans, consisting of a roadmap on a low-carbon economy by 2050, a transport white paper and an energy efficiency plan, show significant improvements, but are still insufficient to be in line with a low-carbon economy. Kaj Embrén, Sustainable Business Coach, +46-70-398 22 11, kaj@embren.com.