The G8 Climate Scorecards from Allianz and WWF

Les pays du G8 épinglés sur leur politique de lutte contre le réchauffement climatique
LEMONDE.FR 05.06.07

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These climate scorecards provide a comparable snapshot of the current situation across the G8 countries (Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, United Kingdom and United States of America) as well as five major developing countries (Brazil, China, India,Mexico and South Africa).

They provide recent and expected emission developments of each country and various other indicators. The scorecards also provide an overview of the most important activities by the governments to respond to the threat of climate change.

For the G8 countries, they finally provide an overall summary evaluation of the climate performance of the country based on all of the criteria covered in the scorecards.

This is based on the core benchmark that countries implement enough measures to reduce emissions by the order of 80% by 2050 so as to keep the global-average temperature increase below 2°C in comparison with pre-industrial levels.

The scoring, based on the ten indicators, demonstrates that none of the G8 countries are implementing enough measures to be considered in line with the 2°C limit (see summary table page 34). Three countries have failed the test: USA, Canada and Russia.

The United States scores the worst of all G8 countries, not having ratified the Kyoto Protocol, nor having put any substantive federal measures in place to curb emissions in the short term.

Russia and Canada also have increasing emissions and no policy in place. Of the two in particular Canada has taken little measures to curb its greenhouse gas emissions, and the current government has taken up a policy stand, which puts it sharply at odds with its Kyoto obligations as an advanced industrialized country.

Italy and Japan rank a little better but are still far away from making a contribution to staying below 2°C. The three countries furthest along this track are UK, France and Germany, but each is likely to see increases in emissions if further measures are not implemented soon.

Information is also provided for major developing countries (Brazil, China, India, Mexico and South Africa), where a number of initiatives are already underway. These five countries are expecting large growth of emissions in the future and the question remains how G8 countries will assist them in developing in a less carbon intensive manner. These countries have not been scored in the same manner as G8 due to their different national circumstances and level of development.

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The G8 Climate Scorecards were commissioned jointly by Allianz, a leading global financial service provider, and WWF, a leading global environmental NGO.

Contact:
Martin Hiller, Communications Manager, Global Climate Change Programme, WWF
International, Phone: +41-22-364-9226, Email: mhiller@wwfint.org
Hans Verolme, Director, Global Climate Change Programme, WWF International,
Phone: +1 202 822 3469, Email: hans.verolme@wwfus.org

Authors:
Ecofys, Germany: Niklas Höhne, n.hoehne@ecofys.de; Wina Graus, w.graus@ecofys.nl;
Christian Ellermann, c.ellermann@ecofys.de

Published in June 2007 by WWF - World Wide Fund For Nature (formerly World Wildlife Fund), Gland, Switzerland.

Any reproduction in full or in part of this publication must mention the title and credit the above-mentioned publisher as the copyright owner.
© Text (2007) WWF. All rights reserved.