Climate Change Legislation and Initiatives at International Level and Design options for Future International Climate Policy

This paper provides background information for the Conference of the Parties to the UNFCCC (COP) and the Conference of the Parties serving as the Meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol (COP/MOP) in December 2007 in Bali, Indonesia. Significant action is required at the highest urgency to ensure that global greenhouse gas emissions peak until 2015 and decline to at least half of current levels to prevent dangerous interference with the climate system (chapter 2). The next years will be decisive as to whether this turn can be accomplished.