The Development And Effection Of European Union’s Policy On Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emission

As an active sponsor of climate change international negotiations, the EuropeanUnion(EU) is the main impetus in the global greenhouse gas(GHG) emissionsreduction. In order to propel implementation of the Kyoto Protocol, EU has adopted aseries of practical measure to reduce GHG emissions. EU has been paying attention tothe problem of climate change since it established. It actively take action to replyclimate change. In response the greenhouse gas emissions, EU has formulated a seriesof policies, such as greenhouse gas emissions trading mechanism, a package plan ofclimate action and renewable energy. The context mainly includes three aspects: First,the world is facing the threat of climate change. In the ecosystem, climate chhangemay lead species’ aberrance or even extinction. Climate warming will also have asignificant effect on the human society in politics, economy, security and other fields.Secondly, because of human activities, a lot of greenhouse gas is emitted to theatmosphere, which is the reason of global warming. Thirdly, climate change willbring very serious influence to Europe. There are lots of contries in the Europeancontinent and the area of each country is narrow and small. To various naturaldisasters or adverse effect caused by climate change, their leeway is small. Because ofthe geographical characteristics and relatively fragile ecological environment ofEurope, the Europeans are more sensitive to climate change. They don’t want to facethe threat caused by climate change. In view of the above three aspects, the EuropeanUnion since its inception has been concerning about the climate problem, timely takesmeasures, formulates policies on emissions’ reduction and constantly revises andimproves these policies. The development of its policies has experienced three phases,including formation, development and further perfect. It can be said that the middleand late of1980s to1994is the formation stage of EU’s climate policies. In the periodof1994to2004, EU’s climate policies have a certain degree of development. Alongwith signature and being effective of the" Kyoto Protocol", the EU’s climate policiesentered a period of further perfect from2005. Around the reduction of greenhouse gasemissions, EU formulated a series of policies in energy, tax, trading and technologyinnovation, some of which were successful and some were forced to give up, however,the overall developed ahead ceaselessly. These policies have made someachievements, and the EU greenhouse gas emissions is reduced ceaselessly. Meetingthe emissions’ reduction target of20%to2020should not be a problem.