(02 July 2015) – Three more European regions (Basque Country, Rhône-Alpes and Scotland) pledged to reduce their CO2 emissions by 80-95% by 2050 at the World Summit Climate & Territories (WSCT) in Lyon on 1 July.
While the international climate negotiations leading up to the 2015 Paris Climate Conference are making slow progress at state level, regional leaders have volunteered increasingly ambitious proposals to fight climate change.
On 1 July, Rhône-Alpes, the host of the WSCT, joined the Spanish Basque Country and Scotland in signing the “Under 2” protocol, a firm commitment to reduce CO2 emissions by 80-95% by 2050, compared to 1990 levels.
The objective of this agreement is to keep global warming to below +2°C. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), reaching this target will require global emissions to be cut in half by 2050, and by at least 80% in developed countries.
The German region of Baden-Württemberg, Spanish Catalonia and Wales have already signed up to the agreement, and the region of Lombardy plans to sign up soon.
Launched in California in May, the protocol has so far been signed by 17 regions, including Chipas in Mexico, the state of Cross River in Nigeria, and the states of Washington, Vermont and Oregon, in the United States. (EurActiv)