Kyoto Protocol entered into force on 16th February and should lead to a 8% reduction of greenhouse effect gases emissions (compared to 1990 levels) by the end of the decade.
If some countries will hardly reach this goal, EU 25 considered as a whole should globally succeed: in 2002, emissions were below base level (1990) by 2.9% in EU 15 and by 9% in EU 25.
However, Kyoto Protocol is seen only as a first step to fight climate change. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) call for significant cuts in global emissions below 1990 levels, and to below the cuts that the Kyoto Protocol sets.
Anticipating the international debate on the future of the global climate change regime, the European Council announced that it will consider “medium and longer term emission reduction strategies, including targets” at its meeting in Spring 2005.
In response, the Commission adopted on 9th February 2005 the Communication on “Winning the Battle Against Climate Change”.