Analyse : l'approche sectorielle à la politique climatique de l'après 2012

Selon ce rapport du Centre for Clean Air Policy (Washington, Bruxelles), réduire les émissions de gaz à effet de serre dans des secteurs industriels clés dans le monde offrirait une solution très prometteuse pour la politique de lutte contre le changement climatique après 2012.

Under the sector-based approach, major developing countries such as China would pledge to achieve a voluntary sector GHG intensity target (e.g. GHG/ton of steel) and would receive technology incentives from developed countries in exchange. 

The sectors covered would include major energy and heavy industries (e.g. electricity, cement, steel, oil refining, pulp/paper, metals, etc), ensuring significant reductions in emissions at a global level.

« The inclusion of the top 10 largest GHG emitting developing countries in each sector would insure coverage of 80-90% of developing country GHG emissions in each of the selected sectors ».

Crucially for European industries, the system would also address concerns about competition by encouraging the participation of all the major operators in a sector in both developed and developing countries.

According to the CCAP, the sector-based approach would help to resolve « the continuing arguments in the European Union’s Emissions Trading System over the fairness of individual Member State allowance allocations to individual companies as a result of the different implementation of sector targets between countries ».

According to the CCAP, the recommendation for a sector-based approach to reducing GHG came after a three and a half year dialogue with senior climate negotiators from 15 developed nations (Annex I countries), 15 developing countries (non-Annex I countries), and select company representatives.

However, the proposal is likely to run into opposition from the European Commission who has instead opted for an inclusive approach where all industrial sectors are covered under a single CO2 emissions trading scheme.