Climate plans could reduce emissions significantly, yet still fall short of 2 °C
Climate plans submitted by countries in the run-up to the Paris Summit could deliver significant reductions in the emission of greenhouse gases. Without new climate policies, the world would emit...
UN Calls for Global Carbon Neutrality by Mid to Late Century to Stay within 2°C
In order to limit global temperature rise to 2 oC and head off the worst impacts of climate change, global carbon neutrality should be attained by mid-to‐late century. This would also keep in check...
By 2050, around 70% of the world's population of 9,2 billion people is expected to live in an urban environment. Especially in developing countries this increasing population and expanding cities pose...
The European climate and energy package for 2030: is it adequate?
On Wednesday 22 January, the European Commission published a new climate target for 2030: a reduction in greenhouse gases of 40%, relative to 1990 levels. This target is to be achieved domestically...
Tree felling for bioenergy could lead to an increase in CO2 emissions
Using logged trees as a bioenergy source – replacing fossil fuel – carries the risk of first increasing CO2 emissions before reducing them. It could in fact take up to 100 years before emissions begin...
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...
PBL analyses human and economic consequences of disasters
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...
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...
Alternative routes for international climate policies
Alternative routes for international climate policies, such as have been proposed in recent years by several parties, may benefit societal support for these policies. The Netherlands could make clever...
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...