Abstract
The Paris Agreement, ratified in 2015, pledged to reduce greenhouse gas emissions within a Global Carbon Budget that limits the global temperature increase to less than 2 °C. With the Roadmap 2050 mitigation measures, the European Union has a target to reduce emissions by 80% of their 1990 value by 2050 but without giving an estimation or a maximum ceiling for the total amount of cumulative greenhouse gases emissions over that period. Thus, the impact of the EU regulations on global warming remains unestimated. The aim and the novelty of this study are to develop a set of potential European emissions trajectories, within the Global Carbon Budget and at the same time satisfying the Roadmap 2050 goals. The result of the study highlights the urgency to reinforce mitigation measures for Europe as soon as possible because any delay in policy implementation risks the Roadmap 2050 mitigation package being insufficient to achieve the objectives of the Paris treaty.
Highlights
The 21st Conference of the Parties (COP21) [1] highlighted the need for a rapid transition away from fossil fuels in order to maintain the emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG) below a level that would result in a temperature increase of 2 ◦C above pre-industrial levels
The aim of this study is to present a simple method to assess European carbon budget scenarios, by means of highlighting the limitation of the present European Union (EU) mitigation policy strength, in the view that Europe, as a set of developed countries, should play an active role in accomplishing the Paris treaty agreement
We found that active policies to reduce emissions for Europe are urgent and should be implemented as soon as possible in order to limit the European contribution to climate change
Summary
The 21st Conference of the Parties (COP21) [1] highlighted the need for a rapid transition away from fossil fuels in order to maintain the emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG) below a level that would result in a temperature increase of 2 ◦C above pre-industrial levels. This threshold is sometimes defined as the “tipping point” between ‘dangerous’ and ‘extremely dangerous’ climate change [2]. We adopted this unit so that 485 GtC becomes 1780 Gigatons of carbon dioxide equivalent (GtCO2eq) [7], and includes the impact of all the greenhouse gases, carbon dioxide
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
