News
An overview of all new items related to this topic.
EU climate and energy policy should be aimed at innovation
Newsitem | 15-05-2013
An 80% reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, that is the EU ambition for 2050. Such a drastic reduction requires a much more vigorous renewal of our energy system. Setting a target for emission reduction alone is not sufficient. This will need to ... read more
Minimum price best option for reform of EU Emissions Trading System
Newsitem | 25-04-2013
A minimum price for emission allowances offers the best opportunity for the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS) to function as a key policy instrument in reducing CO2 emissions. Such a price floor will create a steady and higher CO2 ... read more
Seeking PhD students to review a volume of the next IPCC report
Newsitem | 19-03-2013
Note: The deadline for applications for the reviews has passed.
Are you an ambitous PhD student and would you like to be involved in an important, ambitious and unique project? If so, you are invited to read on for an opportunity to enhan ... read more
Pledges by developing countries lead to 9-12% emission reduction
Newsitem | 20-02-2013
A new study shows that the proposals from developing countries to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 2020 lead to a 9-12% reduction in their emissions. Assuming all countries take immediate action, this means that, to achieve the 2°C target ... read more
Climate goals for 2030 in relation to 2 °C target
Newsitem | 10-12-2012
A greenhouse gas reduction target of 40% below 1990 levels for 2030 for the European Union, to be achieved within Europe, would not necessarily be sufficient for achieving the target of limiting global temperature increase to 2 °C, given a possible ... read more
Set-aside of European CO2 emission allowances considered as a signal for further ETS reform
Newsitem | 27-11-2012
A set-aside of CO2 allowances would reduce the current oversupply in the European Emissions Trading System. This would result in temporary higher CO2 prices. However, a literature study has shown that the impact of the European Commission’s proposal ... read more
The Emissions Gap Report 2012
Newsitem | 20-11-2012
Scaling up and accelerating action on climate change without delay will reduce the risk that keeping global average temperature rise below 2 °C becomes an unrealistic prospect, according to a comprehensive study by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) ... read more
PBL, KNMI and Crok launch Climate Discussion platform Climate Dialogue
Newsitem | 12-11-2012
PBL Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency together with the Dutch Royal Meteorological Institute (KNMI) and science journalist Marcel Crok launched their joint website ClimateDialogue.org - an international blog where invited scientists ... read more
Renewable energy: current Dutch policy is falling short of 2020 target despite strong growth
Newsitem | 22-08-2012
Under the current policy the share of renewable energy in the Netherlands is set to rise from 4 percent in 2010 to 7-10 percent in 2020. Although this is a strong increase, it is not enough to achieve the European target of 14 percent by 2020. Even ... read more
PBL analyses human and economic consequences of disasters
Newsitem | 25-07-2012
Disasters such as floods, storms, heatwaves and droughts may have serious implications for human health and the economic development of countries. PBL has analysed these types of severe disasters in a statistical context, as part the ‘OECD Environmental ... read more
Per capita CO2 emissions in China reached European level
Newsitem | 18-07-2012
Global emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) increased by 3% last year, reaching an all-time high of 34 billion tonnes in 2011. In China, average per capita CO2 emissions increased by 9% to 7.2 tonnes CO2. This is similar ... read more
Ambitious set of sustainability targets can be met
Newsitem | 06-06-2012
'The world continues to speed down an unsustainable path despite over 500 internationally agreed goals and objectives to support the sustainable management of the environment and improve human wellbeing. However, meeting an ambitious set of sustainability ... read more
Higher expected greenhouse gas emissions from pledges
Newsitem | 26-04-2012
Many countries have pledged to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions by 2020. Due to upward revisions of greenhouse gas emission projections in many developing countries higher emission levels from the pledges are expected, and therefore, achieving ... read more
Survey on the opinions on climate change
Newsitem | 22-03-2012
PBL Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency, in conjunction with the Royal Dutch Meteorological Institute (KNMI) and the University of Queensland (Australia), is investigating the range of scientific opinions about climate change. The objective ... read more
Environmental policy needs more decisive action
Newsitem | 15-03-2012
Based on joint modelling by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and the PBL Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency the Environmental Outlook to 2050 looks ahead to the year 2050 to ascertain what demographic and economic ... read more
Only a mix of technologies can realise a clean economy by 2050 in the Netherlands
Newsitem | 02-12-2011
The Netherlands is capable of achieving an 80 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. This is possible by implementing a mix of reduced energy demand, use of biomass, carbon capture and storage, and clean electricity generation accompanied ... read more
Bridging the emissions gap to meet the 2 °C target is doable
Newsitem | 24-11-2011
Cutting emissions by 2020 to a level that could keep a global, 21st century temperature rise under two degrees Celsius is technologically and economically feasible, according to a comprehensive study by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), to which ... read more
Implication in 2020 of the 2 degree target
Newsitem | 26-10-2011
A large number of published climate scenarios have been analysed in order to identify if the 2020 emission levels are consistent with the 2 degree Celsius target. It is concluded that there are significant risks that the 2 degree Celsius target is ... read more
Special issue of Climatic Change journal on the Representative Concentration Pathways released
Newsitem | 26-09-2011
A new Special issue of the journal Climatic Change describes four new key scenarios for the climate research community: the Representative Concentration Pathway (RCPs). The RCPs describe a wide range of potential futures for the main drivers of climate ... read more
Steep increase in global CO2 emissions despite reductions by industrialised countries
Newsitem | 21-09-2011
Global emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) – the main cause of global warming – increased by 45% between 1990 and 2010, and reached an all-time high of 33 billion tonnes in 2010. Increased efficiency, nuclear energy and the growing contribution ... read more
