The EU 40 % greenhouse gas emission reduction target by 2030 in perspective
We assess the fairness and ambition level of the EU’s Intended Nationally Determined Contribution (INDC) of reducing domestic greenhouse gas emissions by at least 40 % relative to 1990.
Drivers and patterns of land biosphere carbon balance reversal
The carbon balance of the land biosphere is the result of complex interactions between land, atmosphere and oceans, including climatic change, carbon dioxide fertilization and land-use change. While…
Saving energy is not easy: An impact assessment of Dutch policy to reduce the energy requirements of buildings
The Dutch Government stimulates the application of energy efficiency measures to reduce the energy requirements of buildings, which are responsible for about 20% of the Dutch CO 2 emissions. For our…
Sustainable Development Goals in the Netherlands - Building blocks for Environmental policy for 2030
In September 2015, 193 countries agreed on a set of ambitious and aspirational global goals and targets for sustainable development; the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The SDGs are also about…
Differences between carbon budget estimates unravelled
Several methods exist to estimate the cumulative carbon emissions that would keep global warming to below a given temperature limit. Here we review estimates reported by the IPCC and the recent…
How climate metrics affect global mitigation strategies and costs: a multi-model study
In climate policy, substitutions metrics are used to determine exchange ratios for different greenhouse gases as part of a multi-gas strategy. The suitability of the metric depends on the policy goals…
This study, commissioned by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), offers an assessment of the effect of bioenergy on greenhouse gas emissions. It combines estimates of supply-chain…
Trends in Global Vegetation Activity and Climatic Drivers Indicate a Decoupled Response to Climate Change
Detailed understanding of a possible decoupling between climatic drivers of plant productivity and the response of ecosystems vegetation is required. We compared trends in six NDVI metrics (1982–2010)…
Joint Actions for Air Quality and Climate Mitigation in Europe
Combined action for air and climate can be undertaken by (i) targeting atmospheric compounds that happen to have detrimental impacts on health, ecosystem and climate at the same time (short lived…
Dutch energy supply is at a tipping point. The share of renewable energy is expected to grow at an accelerated pace, up to 2023; in part due to the efforts of those involved in the Energy Agreement…