The EU Commission published its Paris Protocol on February 25, 2015 in order to promote collective action consistent with the IPCC’s findings. According to the EU the Paris Protocol must deliver the following objectives:

1. secure ambitious reductions of emissions by: o specifying that the long term goal should be to reduce global emissions by at least 60% below 2010 levels by 20502 ; and o in that context setting out clear, specific, ambitious and fair legally binding mitigation commitments that put the world on track towards achieving the below 2°C objective. These commitments must be consistent with the UNFCCC’s principles applied in the light of evolving responsibilities, capabilities and different national circumstances;
2. ensure dynamism by providing for a global review, to be conducted every five years, to strengthen the ambition of these mitigation commitments consistent with the latest science;
3. strengthen transparency and accountability in order to be able to assess whether emissions reduction targets and related commitments have been met. A common set of rules and procedures for annual reporting and regular verification and international expert reviews of emission inventories needs to be established;
4. encourage climate-resilient sustainable development by promoting international cooperation and supporting policies that decrease vulnerability and improve countries’ capacity to adapt to the impacts of climate change; and  promote efficient and effective implementation and cooperation by encouraging policies that mobilise substantial, transparent and predictable public and private sector investment in low-emission climate-resilient development.

These objectives should be set out in the Protocol. A technical work programme, to be completed by 2017, should develop the detailed rules, processes and institutions needed to achieve these objectives. To join the Protocol, a Party must make a mitigation commitment. Parties will be able to participate in decision-making under the Protocol and have access to financial and other resources to support the implementation of the Protocol. Mitigation commitments under the Protocol should be equally legally binding on all Parties.

At the European Summit in October 2014, European leaders agreed that the EU should step up its efforts and domestically reduce its emissions by at least 40% compared to 1990 by 2030. This was followed by announcements of China and the US. In Lima, EU Member States pledged about half of the initial capitalisation of US$10 billion to the Green Climate Fund (GCF) to assist developing countries. Within the EU, a new investment plan was adopted. This will unlock public and private investments in the real economy of at least €315 billion over the next three years (2015-17). These investments will help modernise and further decarbonise the EU’s economy. This communication responds to the decisions taken in Lima, and is a key element in implementing the Commission’s priority of building a resilient Energy Union with a forward looking climate change policy consistent with the President of the Commission’s political guidelines. This communication prepares the EU for the last round of negotiations before the Paris conference in December 2015.

The EHA is a network member of the Climate Technology Centre and Network, the operational arm of the UNFCCC Technology Mechanism and it is hosted and managed by UNEP in collaboration with UNIDO and with the support of 11 Centres of Excellence located in developing and developed countries:that is providing technical assistance to countries to implement the right technologies to mitigate and adapt to Climate Change.