EU Summit just agreed a “binding EU target of a net domestic reduction of at least 55% in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030” - so UK going somewhat further at 68%...

That is in reference to 1990 carbon emissions - which is the standard point of reference
VDL trying to sound conciliatory - making point about the ratchet clause that all sides “remain free - sovereign” to do what they are want as regards matching future increases in regulations, but that both sides should retain right to adapt conditions for market entry
On fishing VDL says UK must understand legitimate expectations of EU fishing fleet based on decades and sometimes centuries of access ...
journalists at the EU summit seem more interested in asking Merkel/ VDL about Turkey than summit Brexit discussions, so far zero questions - some informational value there ...
One way to read the VDL comments is a clear nudge towards a mutually agreed two-way ratchet clause, which wasnt on table, apparently in last few days, but was a few months back..
... people are rightly pointing out that the 55% is an EU average target that will be put in law for 2030, and that will be an average comprised of bigger reductions for Western Europe, and lower ones for east -
...This bit of EU climate policy interesting -could it apply to the UK? Presumably not if our carbon reduction is as rapid as PM’s target
“proposing a carbon border adjustment mechanism to ensure environmental integrity of EU policies & avoid carbon leakage in WTO-compatible way”
VDL on the ratchet clause... https://t.co/6wc5OVMU8K
As I’ve pointed out about 8 times this week on here, on air & online, PM has specifically in his words at PMQs and on twins objected to idea that it is only the UK risking penalty tariffs by not following a unilateral EU decision to raise standards...
Detail does matter - eg who and how would it be decided that a divergence has unfairly distorted trade. And all that is rather murky.

IF that can be got right, there’s still a route through here
If there was an attempt to sideline Barnier, its being firmly rejected, eg Dutch PM Rutte: https://t.co/yQ0r7swbZA

More from Climate change

FYI - The Storm approaches - take a look...

At the moment, POTUS is sitting on a stack of Trump cards that he's just waiting to unleash...a royal flush!

@John_F_Kennnedy @Pamelal33566076 @GeorgePapa19 @whitebunny @atvguy @stormis_us


He has court cases that will go to the Supreme Court and thanks to the Texas case, he's now aware how to file them properly... under article 3 not 2...

so the SCOTUS will be forced to listen.....He now has the DNI report. Barr stepped down and can now be a witness.....he did his job. Durham is special counsel and can prosecute, in any state....

He’s letting civil, criminal, and federal courts fail to handle the situation properly.....so he can use military tribunals. He has ALL the data from the NSA, the Kraken supercomputer, the Alice supercomputer and likely many more computers, unknown to us....

He has the dueling electors from 7 state legislatures. He has VP Pence, as the final arbiter of which ballots to accept.. the NDAA, the national emergency, the 14th amendment, the 2018 executive order, the 2017 very first EO, the Patriot Act, the FISA warrants,
The forests of Russia, Mongolia, Canada, Scandinavia and the US will experience unprecedented destructive heat by 2029 with staggering consequences for life on Earth.


Feedback loops created by permafrost melt & wildfire destruction represent just a few of the terrifying effects of climate change on boreal forest ecosystems, which are particularly at risk to rising temperatures. ⚠️🔥

https://t.co/zZNKrRnqoZ

Massive wildfires are already here.


More forest fires are burning in the Arctic in recent years than any time in the last 10,000 years.

🔺these massive arctic fires are showing worrying signs of becoming a vicious cycle

Wildfire-related carbon releases from permafrost regions will quadruple within decades.

Arctic wildfires, impacted by global warming, are in turn contributing to more climate breakdown.

🔺An increase in boreal & tundra fires in the future will enhance permafrost thawing.
The UK government's climate advisory body is launching its next carbon budget: basically, outlining what the UK can emit between 2033 and 2037. It's a big deal - launch video starting right now.
Watch along:


Will tweet along snippets. Pretty relevant to...............everything, really. #UKCarbonBudget

"Instead of being just a budget, it's a pathway we have to tread to reach net zero in 2050" @lorddeben

Just like quite a few other modelling exercises, CCC use a spectrum between behaviour change and between technological change. #UKCarbonBudget.

Both = best (just like @AEMO_Media's Step Change scenario in their ISP)


'Balanced' is what they use for their recs. "We're doing 60% of the emissions reductions in the first 15 years, and then 40% in the next".

The slinky kitty curve....good to see. No evidence of delaying action to Dec 29 2049, here. #UKCarbonBudget


"By front loading, we're minimising the UK's contribution to cumulative emissions" - really important point. A slow path to net zero - more climate harm than a fast one. #UKCarbonBudget

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