Climate change, equity and the relevance of European 'effort-sharing' for global mitigation efforts

The question of equity in international agreements has a wide variety of interpretations and embraces a number of competing principles. The European Union (EU) effort-sharing arrangement for 2013-2020 collaborative greenhouse gas emissions reductions and renewable energy growth is explored for two underlying principles: solidarity and capability. The concepts and mechanisms of the EU effort-sharing arrangement are examined, with particular attention to how well issues of equity are addressed. The EU approach is then considered for its potential application to other country groupings to ascertain whether, and under what specific conditions, it could be adapted. Based on some features of the EU effort-sharing arrangements, a policy process for determining effort-sharing for mitigation is proposed, which allows for specific national circumstances and varying emphases of solidarity and capability.