News
An overview of all new items related to this dossier.
Higher expected greenhouse gas emissions from pledges
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 the 2 degree Celsius climate goal becomes more difficult.
26-04-2012
Survey on the opinions on climate change
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 of this study is to gain insight into how climate scientists perceive the public debate on the physical scientific aspects of climate change.
22-03-2012
Environmental policy needs more decisive action
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 trends might mean for the environment.
15-03-2012
Only a mix of technologies can realise a clean economy by 2050 in the Netherlands
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 by an increased share of electricity in final energy demand.
02-12-2011
Bridging the emissions gap to meet the 2 °C target is doable
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 the PBL Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency has also contributed.
24-11-2011
Implication in 2020 of the 2 degree target
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 slipping out of reach.
26-10-2011
Special issue of Climatic Change journal on the Representative Concentration Pathways released
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 change: greenhouse gas and air pollutant emissions and land use. The scenarios cover the range from high emission futures to scenarios consistent with the 2°C target.
26-09-2011
Steep increase in global CO2 emissions despite reductions by industrialised countries
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.
21-09-2011
Environment and poverty require a global perspective
Climate change, overexploitation of fish stocks, land erosion and resource scarcities are examples of environmental issues that require globally coordinated solutions. This is in the interest both of developing countries and of the Netherlands.
16-06-2011
Impact of Effort Sharing Decision on Dutch targets for greenhouse gases 2013-2020
As a result of the European Effort Sharing Decision, the Netherlands faces annual declining caps for emissions not included in the Emission Trading System (ETS), for the 2013–2020 period. Non-ETS emission levels are expected to be around the cap level excluding possible effects from policies by the current Dutch Government.
08-06-2011
Worldwide increase in fertiliser surpluses
Fertiliser surpluses are expected to increase, globally, over de next fifty years. This is mainly due to increases in livestock farming, the manure of which is causing ever increasing amounts of nutrients to end up in groundwater and surface waters. The environmental impact of nutrient surpluses disturbs ecosystems and damages biodiversity.
07-06-2011
The PBL at the climate summit in Cancun
Analyses by the PBL Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency are supporting the Dutch delegation at the climate negotiations in Cancun. In addition, the PBL also gives presentations and participates in a number of side events.
07-12-2010
Choices in climate policy important for Dutch air quality
Several indicative climate policy packages for 2020 have been found to result in mainly favourable co-impacts on Dutch air quality. The extent of their contribution to air quality does depend on the specific measures in the climate package.
30-11-2010
UNEP report: Gap of 5 gigatonnes between Copenhagen Agreement and 2 °C target
It is estimated that, in order to have a likely chance (over 66%) of limiting global mean temperature increase to 2 °C, annual greenhouse gas emissions need to stay around 44 gigatonnes, by 2020.
23-11-2010
Key findings of IPCC on regional climate-change impacts found to be robust
PBL Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency has found no errors that would undermine the main conclusions in the 2007 report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) on possible future regional impacts of climate change. However, in some instances the foundations for the summary statements should have been made more transparent. The PBL believes that the IPCC should invest more in quality control in order to prevent mistakes and shortcomings, to the extent possible.
05-07-2010
China and India nullify global reduction in CO2 emissions
Despite the continued economic crisis, global emissions of carbon dioxide, the main greenhouse gas, have remained constant in 2009, as strong increases in CO2 emissions from fast-growing developing countries, such as China and India, have completely nullified CO2 emission reductions in the industrialised world.
01-07-2010
Serious indirect effects of some biofuels on global biodiversity and greenhouse gas emissions
Many biofuels that are presently sold on the European transport market need agricultural land for their production. Effects from indirect land-use change (ILUC) have a negative impact, not only on greenhouse gases as has been reported earlier, but also on global biodiversity. The overall emission reductions for biofuels based on energy crops can be low or even negative. These are some of the conclusions from a series of brief reports published by the Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency (PBL) on the issue of indirect effects of bio-energy.
31-05-2010
‘Copenhagen’ target is coming closer
The Copenhagen Accord has proven beneficial to the efforts of achieving the target of limiting global warming to two degrees Celsius. Since the climate conference was held, countries have pledged to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. These pledges could realise up to 70 per cent of the greenhouse gas reduction that is needed. However, the risk of the actual reductions being less, is substantial.
28-05-2010
The land use effects of biofuels lead to biodiversity loss
The objective of using biofuels is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In the long term, this can reduce the negative impact of climate change on biodiversity. Several biofuels are grown in existing agricultural areas. This will indirectly lead to loss of natural area on the short term through transfer of current production to other world regions. Assessing the balance between short-term losses and long-term gains for biodiversity shows that it may take decades to centuries before losses are compensated for by long-term gains.
27-05-2010
By-products of biofuels reduce indirect land-use change
The cultivation of energy crops on arable land may lead to the displacement of food crops and to indirect land-use change (ILUC) with biodiversity loss and extra greenhouse gas emissions. Some of the energy crops for biofuels deliver feed as by-products, reducing the land use for feed production elsewhere, and thereby substantially reducing these negative indirect effects.
02-04-2010
Agricultural intensification may restrict indirect effects of bio-energy
Agricultural intensification has the potential to reduce indirect land-use change from biofuels. If such intensification is realised only by applying more fertiliser, this may lead to substantial indirect greenhouse gas emissions. Improvement of fertiliser-use efficiency is essential to prevent these emissions.
02-04-2010
Interaction nitrogen deposition with climate change and loss of biodiversity
The CCE Status Report 2009 demonstrates that effects of nitrogen deposition are interrelated with the change of climate and biodiversity. The report proposes indicators, modelling methodologies and results addressing critical loads, dynamics of ecosystem recovery and changes of plant species diversity to support integrated policies for mitigating air pollution and the change of biodiversity and climate.
18-03-2010
Indirect effects of bio-energy worrisome
Bio-energy has the potential to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Indirect effects might partly or even completely undo this advantage. Indirect land use change (ILUC) – leading to emissions and loss of nature – is an important example, but there are other indirect effects, as well.
18-02-2010
New generation climate scenarios also focus on policy targets
Currently, a new generation of climate scenarios is being developed to enable a better understanding of the influence that greenhouse gases have on our climate. For the first time, these scenarios will focus on the various objectives of climate policy, varying from ‘no climate policy’ to ‘very ambitious climate policy’. In addition, knowledge is being integrated into these scenarios from various disciplines in the field of climate science. The scenarios are being developed by a team of international scientists, including from the Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency (PBL).
15-02-2010
Correction wording flood risks for the Netherlands in IPCC report
In the 2007 IPCC report by the Working group 2 (Climate change 2007: Impacts, adaptation and vulnerability) a mistake has entered the text that was supplied by the Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency, regarding the risks of flooding for the Netherlands. In the chapter on Europe, on page 547, it says that 55 per cent of the Netherlands is below sea level (‘The Netherlands is an example of a country highly susceptible to both sea level rise and river flooding because 55% of its territory is below sea level’).
05-02-2010
Averting global environmental problems is feasible and affordable
Current trends in fossil-fuel use and inefficient land use will lead to large global environmental problems with respect to climate change and biodiversity loss. Technical and economically feasible options are available to meet the challenge to avoid these problems. The main issue is that of creating institutional and policy conditions for a more sustainable economy.
26-10-2009
Global CO2 emissions: annual increase halved in 2008
Very high oil prices together with a worldwide financial crisis have caused a halving of the annual increase in global emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) from fossil fuel consumption and cement production. High energy prices and the recession have decreased oil consumption and slowed down increasing coal consumption. Emissions increased by 1.7% in 2008, against 3.3% in 2007. Since 2002, the average annual increase was almost 4%. Also the increased use of biofuels for road transport and wind energy for electricity generation had a noticeable and mitigating impact on CO2 emissions.
25-06-2009
Worldwide greenhouse gas emissions growing faster since 2000
New data show that global man-made greenhouse gas emissions increased 15% between 2000 and 2005, representing a sharp jump in the rate of emissions growth, which was 3% for the period 1990-1995 and 6% between 1995 and 2000. These conclusions are based on the latest results from a joint project of the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC) and the Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency (PBL).
26-05-2009
Electric driving; an attractive challenge
23-02-2009
Climate benefits of changing diet
13-02-2009
High emission reductions are necessary for Annex I countries to meet the EU climate target
03-02-2009
Global CO2 emissions increased by 3% in 2007; China contributing two-thirds to increase
In 2007, global emissions of the carbon dioxide (CO2) from fossil fuel use and cement production increased by 3.1%; in 2006 the emissions increased by 3.5%. High fuel prices worldwide and relatively warm winters in Europe and Asia have mitigated the increase. China’s CO2 emissions, having surpassed the USA’s emissions in 2006, are now estimated to be about 14% higher than those of the USA. Since 1990, global CO2 emissions increased by 34%.
13-06-2008
Bioenergy has long-term potential
Potentially, biomass can make a major contribution to the global energy demand in the long term. In 2050, possibly 25-40% of future world energy demand could be produced by making use of crop residues and the production of specific energy crops. It has been taken into account that negative effects occur on food supply, nature reserves and the availability of water. The challenge is to use this potential in a sustainable way.
11-06-2008
International Environmental Policy stands no chance without Brazil, Russia, India and China
05-03-2008
Current biofuels do not add to the sustainability of transport
The climate has more to gain from converting biomass into electricity, than to use it to replace petrol or diesel. Therefore, proposals to replace current transport fuels by biofuels are not the best investment in sustainability. This is shown in the report “Local and global consequences of the EU renewable directive for biofuels: testing the sustainability criteria”, by the Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency. The findings from this study will be presented to the European Parliament, today.
04-03-2008
Industrialised countries to collectively meet 2010 Kyoto target
In 2010 the total greenhouse gases emissions produced by industrialised countries with a Kyoto target, will probably be about 11% lower than in the base year 1990. If the present trend (2000-2005) continues, the countries with a quantitative emission limitation target for 2010 will collectively meet the 4.1% reduction of total emissions of greenhouse gases as agreed in the Kyoto Protocol.
11-12-2007
Peaking profiles can achieve global temperature targets with more likelihood at lower costs
16-11-2007
Simultaneously tackling climate change and air pollution better than non-linked strategies
26-10-2007
A global coalition of all major countries is needed to meet the EU 2 degree climate target
18-07-2007
International transport emissions need to be included in a post-2012 climate mitigation policy
25-04-2007
What global and regional emission reductions are needed to meet the EU 2°C climate target?
Meeting the EU climate policy target with more than 50% certainty implies that greenhouse gas concentrations need to stabilise at 450 (400) ppm CO2-equivalent. Global emissions need to peak around 2015, followed by substantial overall reductions by 30% (50%) compared to 1990 levels in 2050. Industrialized countries will need to reduce their emissions by 15-30% below 1990 levels in 2020. It also requires the USA to participate in significant reductions soon and major advanced developing countries within the next 10-15 years.
15-06-2005
National climate report greenhouse gas emissions in the Netherlands 1990-2003
This report, that is compiled annually by the Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency (MNP) of RIVM in cooperation with Statistics Netherlands (CBS), TNO and SenterNovem, has been produced to comply with commitments under the UN’s Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the European Union’s Greenhouse Gas Monitoring Mechanism.
12-05-2005
