UNFCCC Agrees: Country Size Equivalent Carbon Footprints Don’t Need Targets

19 October 2015

Well, not quite. But the co-chairs’ text removes any obligation for international aviation and shipping to set an emissions target. These sectors have CO2 emissions equal to the UK and Germany respectively. Moreover these sectors are set to grow by up to 300% by 2050, which would greatly undermine efforts to limit a temperature increase to 1.5°C. International aviation and shipping shouldn’t escape simply because their emissions aren’t assigned to a country. 

Even worse is how this text also drops any reference to using these sectors as a source of climate finance. Both sectors get their fuel tax-free, and will continue to be major drivers of climate change. The final agreement should require the two UN agencies that regulate these sectors—ICAO for aviation and IMO for shipping—to set targets and introduce measures compatible with a 1.5°C objective and identify these sectors as potential sources of climate finance.

Countries big and small are coming forward with their targets, so let’s not ignore these two huge and growing drivers of climate change.

UNFCCC Agrees: Country Size Equivalent Carbon Footprints Don’t Need Targets