In 2012 the Kyoto Protocol, which developed binding greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction targets to limit climate change and global warming comes to an end.  This December in Copenhagen a climate change conference comprising of members of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC) will convene at government level to seek international political agreement for a successor to the Kyoto Protocol.

The European Union (EU) has taken the lead on the issue of climate change.  In advance of the negotiations in Copenhagen it has committed to an upper level reduction of some 20% in GHG emissions from the non-traded sectors (transport, waste, agriculture, residential etc) by some Member States relative to 2005 levels.  the extent to which this figure may vary in the context of an international agreement remains unclear.

From an agricultural policy perspective this singular policy of GHG reduction raises three substantial issues for EU negotiators in Copenhagen.  These issues are:

• Food Independence
• Increased Emission from Carbon Leakage
• Sustainable Agriculture

The achievement of the emission reduction targets by the EU in isolation has the potential to unintentionally increase international GHG emissions and destabilise already low world food supplies.