COM (2009) 39 – Communication from the Commission towards a comprehensive climate change agreement in Copenhagen.
In order to limit the global average temperature increase to not more than 2 degrees above preindustrial levels, developed countries as a group should reduce their emissions to 30% below 1990 levels in 2020. The EU has set the example by committing to a 20% reduction in its emissions compared to 1990 levels by 2020, irrespective of whether or not an international agreement is concluded.
This is by far the most ambitious commitment by any country or group of countries in the world for the post-2012 period. This communications sets out concrete proposals to achieve the goal of extending agreements of the Climate and Energy package with third countries, both in the UN context and beyond.