European climate diplomacy shifted dramatically yesterday when EU member states for the first time demanded that developing nations join the fight against climate change. For 15 years, European countries insisted that any international climate treaty abide by the doctrine of “common but differentiated responsibilities,” or the principle that developing countries should be exempt from economically painful emissions reductions, because developed nations are largely responsible for the historical buildup of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. The Bush administration has conducted its climate diplomacy largely in accordance with the logic of the Byrd-Hagel resolution, much to the chagrin of European nations, who have maintained that developed nations need to set an example before the developing nations should proceed. That is, until now. Yesterday, the EU Environmental Council (a body of environmental ministers from EU member states) released a statement that developing countries “would have to reduce their emissions by 15 to 30% below business as usual” by 2020 in order for the EU to sign up to a global emissions reductions regime in Copenhagen in December 2009.
