Overview                                                     

Climate change is a cross cutting issue affecting many other sectoral policies in the EU as well as in the international policy scene. In Europe, cutting Green House Gas (GHG) emissions is a priority for many different sectors, and policies in recent years have reflected this.

Overall, the EU is working in developing and implementing Climate Change mitigation and adaptation strategies. It is also investing time and effort in encouraging the rest of the world to follow suit in the Climate Change related policies, and in investing more capital in green technologies to cut emissions as well as support the economy.

An integrated approach to climate and energy policy and committed has been adopted in the EU. The overall aim is to transform Europe to transforming Europe into an energy-efficient, low carbon, competitive economy. The EU has in fact made a joint commitment to cut its emissions by at least 20% of 1990 levels by 2020. This commitment is being implemented through binding legislation.

More recently, it was decided that the EU is willing to further increase their emissions reductions commitments; to 30% reduction by 2020 with the condition that other major emitters around the world also need to take responsibility and make serious commitments for emissions reductions. The impacts of this proposal were recently assessed and presented at the parliement. 

At the policy level, the Europe 2020 Strategy  is one of the driving forces of what Climate Change policies are aiming to achieve in the immediate future.

The strategy has 5 targets for the EU by 2020, one of which is about Climate Change and Energy. The EU has set the following goals regarding this issue:

• Cut greenhouse gas emissions 20% (or even 30%, if a satisfactory international agreement can be achieved to follow Kyoto) lower than 1990
• Increase the share of energy from renewables by 20%
• Increase in energy efficiency in various sectors by 20%

Some of the other initiatives the EU has taken to cut its GHG emissions include:

• The European Climate Change Programme  (ECCP) in 2000, which led to the adoption of many different policies, including the Emissions Trading System , the EU's key tool for reducing greenhouse gas emissions from industry cost-effectively.
• Continuous improvement of energy efficiency of equipment and household appliances ;
• Developing carbon capture and storage (CCS) for CO2 emitted by power stations and other large installations;
• Increased use of renewable energy sources  , such as wind, solar, hydro and biomass, and biofuels; 
• Developing a comprehensive EU adaptation strategy. 

On the international scene the Kyoto Protocol is the most prominent international legally binding document that dictates policies and obligations of developed and developing countries regarding GHG emissions and climate change mitigation and adaptation.

As reported by the EC, the EU15 is well on track in reducing their collective emissions in the 2008-2012 period to 8% below 1990 levels, thus meeting their Kyoto Protocol obligation.

The EU participates in the COP negotiations of the Kyoto Protocol as a unilateral body.