EU's long march towards an effective regime

摘要

Since the signature of the United Nations Climate Change Convention in 1992, followed by the Kyoto Protocol on the reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in 1997, the European Union and its member states have become well aware not only of the gravity of global warming, but also of their share of responsibility as industrialised countries. While fighting hard on the international scene for the Kyoto Protocol and the creation of its operational instruments, then for ratification, and most recently for the negotiation of a new framework for concerted global action after 2012, the EU has also made a point of setting an example at home.rnIt has drawn up an 'integrated' strategy that will gradually involve all EU policies. The new energy-climate package adopted on 23 January (see separate articles) is in keeping with both the framework of the international negotiations and the internal strategy that combines the fight against climate change and the improvement of air quality with the energy, transport and competition policies.