Hold the Applause
A Critical Look at Recent EU Climate Claims
first published 2 December 2008
The European Union has recently congratulated itself for being "on track" to meet its Kyoto Protocol emissions targets.
But is it? And, more importantly, is the EU "on track" in the effort to wean itself off fossil fuels -- which is the point of the Kyoto Protocol and other climate change mitigation efforts?
The answer to both questions is no. Misleading accounting has produced an illusion of effective action; the reality, as a careful examination of the figures shows, is more complicated and disturbing.