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.