The European Commission today proposed the legislation necessary for the European Union to formally ratify the second commitment period (2013-2020) of the Kyoto Protocol on climate change. The EU, the Member States and Iceland have committed to jointly achieve a 20% reduction in their combined greenhouse gas emissions over the second period compared to the level in 1990 or their other chosen base years. This reduction commitment is consistent with the 2009 'climate and energy package' of legislation and mirrors the package's reduction measures at EU and Member State level.
Connie Hedegaard, European Commissioner for Climate Action, said: "Ratification of the second phase of the Kyoto Protocol underlines the EU’s commitment to a legally binding and rules-based approach to international action on climate change. Our determination to implement our commitments is reflected in the fact that, in practice, the EU has already been applying the targets and rules of Kyoto's second commitment period since it started in January this year. By formally ratifying the second phase, Europe will help to bring it into force at international level as soon as possible. I am confident that the European Parliament, Council, Member States and Iceland will complete the respective ratification procedures as soon as feasible."
The Commission has today made two legislative proposals: for a Council Decision on ratification of the Doha amendment to the Kyoto Protocol establishing the second commitment period, and for a European Parliament and Council Regulation on technical issues related to implementation of the second period.
Ratification Decision
The ratification Decision enables the EU, as a Party to the Kyoto Protocol, to ratify the Doha amendment. It also sets out the terms according to which the EU, its Member States and Iceland will fulfil the 20% emissions reduction commitment jointly.
The ratification Decision does not change any national targets set in the climate and energy package, nor the emissions 'cap' of the EU emissions trading system (EU ETS) which will reach 21% below 2005 levels in 2020.
Technical implementation issues
The proposed Regulation on technical implementation issues provides the basis for legal acts to address a number of technical issues related to implementation by the EU and Member States of the second commitment period.
Next steps
Both proposals now go to the European Parliament and the Council. In parallel with ratification by the European Union, Member States and Iceland will need to finalise their national ratification processes.
The Commission would like the EU and national ratifications to be completed by February 2015. The EU, the Member States and Iceland will then deposit their respective instruments of acceptance at the UN simultaneously, enabling the Doha amendment's entry into force at the same time for all.
At international level the Doha amendment will enter into force when it has been ratified by three quarters of Parties to the Protocol (ie 144 of the 192 Parties). The European Union is a Party to the Protocol in its own right, as are all Member States and Iceland.