How can the climate change be tackled if the larger countries take no action?
All countries will have to play a part in tackling climate change. The larger countries are already taking significant steps. The EU has taken the lead in establishing the world’s largest cross-border emissions trading scheme, which is already providing a market to encourage investment in low-carbon options in Europe and in the developing world. China’s 11th Five Year Plan contains a very ambitious goal to reduce the energy intensity of output by 20% from 2006-2011, and India is also placing increased emphasis on renewable energy and energy efficiency. The US is investing in R&D, and some states are going further including through support for the deployment of renewable energy and through the use of emissions trading. The challenge is to build on diverse national circumstances and approaches, and to create international links that allow the problem to be tackled in the most cost-effective way. There are opportunities to reduce the costs of mitigation through international co-operation,
