Sharing the burden of greenhouse gas mitigation

Abstract

This report presents an overview of the major findings of the joint CICERO-ECN project on the issue of differentiation of greenhouse gas emission mitigation targets among countries after the so-called first budget period of the Kyoto Protocol (2008-2012). More particularly, the report provides (i) an analysis of the main principles of fairness relevant to the issue of differentiating emission mitigation targets among countries, (ii) a brief evaluation of several burden sharing proposals launched since the mid-1990s, (iii) a new, multi-sector convergence framework in support of future negotiations to reach agreement on national greenhouse gas emission mitigation targets (iv) an indication of its cost implications, and (v) some concluding remarks and suggestions for further research.