3 August, 2012

Closing the 2020 emissions gap: issues, options and strategies

Authors

Bill Hare, Michiel Schaeffer, Marcia Rocha, Joeri Rogelj, Niklas Höhne, Kornelis Blok, Kees van der Leun, Nicholas Harrison

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Without further and accelerated action it appears very likely that global greenhouse-gas (GHG) emissions levels in 2020 will be far above those that are consistent with agreed international warming goals. This gap between where emissions are headed and where they need to be exists due to the inadequacy of current mitigation pledges, which, if fully implemented, will lead to warming of 3-3.6°C by 2100. The gap is now widely acknowledged by the international community and at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) COP17 in Durban a work plan on enhancing mitigation ambition was launched to explore options for strengthening efforts by all Parties. In this context, this briefing paper explores a range of issues, options and strategies for urgently bridging the 2020 emissions gap.

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