Sectoral approaches to emissions causing confusion

Sectoral approaches to cutting greenhouse gas emissions are still causing enormous confusion, according to the Cement Sustainability Initiative (CSIⁱ), a member-led programme of the World Business Council for Sustainability Development(WBSCD). While the EU has been a strong supporter of sectoral approaches, the EU’s chief climate negotiator Artur Runge-Metzger recently warned that evolving the Clean Development Mechanism (CDMⁱ) from a project towards a sector-based approach could be difficult. Many countries, such as the US, are reluctant to subsidise large-scale efficiency improvements in developing countries. Nonetheless, the concept of nationally-tailored sectoral approaches, rather than global sectoral caps could feature in the text that emerges from Copenhagen.

The CSI’s briefing on a sectoral approach can be found here:

http://www.wbcsdcement.org/pdf/WBCSD%20rev%20final%20low.pdf