English Abstract This report contains the results of the European
Dialogue of the COOL (Climate Options for the Long Term) project. The
European Dialogue is one of the three Dialogues within the COOL project, the
other being the Nation Dialogue (focused on the Netherlands) and the Global
Dialogue. The European Dialogue brought together some 40 non-governmental
and governmental stakeholders from different countries around Europe to
assess in a participatory way the strategy for far reaching greenhouse gas
emission reductions in Europe in the long term (till 2050). The European
Dialogue was organized in two major groups, the energy sector and the
transport sector, which have met four times for 1-2 days in one and a half
year. Following a backcasting methodology and with input from scientific
institutions both groups have discussed and developed options that can
contribute significantly to 80% GHG emission reductions in 2050, compared to
1990 levels. The final outcomes of this participatory process with a very
diverse group of stakeholders are two strategic visions, which are shared by
the participants of these dialogues. The strategic visions show that 80 GHG
emission reductions seems technologically possible over a time period of 50
years. The major bottlenecks are to be found rather in non-technological
factors: institutions, price signals, behavioral changes, and international
developments.
