Nine steps necessary to lower CO2 emissions

The Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF) has made the following recommendations:

1. More ambitious policies: Industrialized nations have to strengthen their policies to reduce emissions and meet Kyoto targets.

2. Cut emissions from the biggest emitter: The power sector needs to switch to clean electricity.

3. Make EU emissions trading a success: EU governments have to ensure that emissions trading is a success. This means that the targets for reducing emissions have to be honest and strong -- they must be ambitious enough to achieve the needed reductions.

4. Support for clean and efficient technologies for developing countries: International finance and credit institutions must ensure clean technology solutions for developing nations.

5. Clean energy must become core business: Countries must adopt all the needed policies and structures to develop renewable energies and energy efficiency.

6. Denial is not an option: The U.S. and Australia need to cut emissions too.

7. Help the poorest to deal with climate change impacts: The international community must gear up support for the poorest countries to deal with the impacts of climate change.

8. Commit to the 2 degrees Celsius ceiling: All governments, international political bodies and industry groups need to commit themselves to keep the world below the dangerous ceiling of 2 degrees Celsius warming of global average temperature compared to pre-industrial times. This is the crucial tipping point for the environment -- crossing it would have devastating impacts for people and wildlife.

9. Plan for the next decades: The "Kyoto Club", an unofficial name for the countries who have ratified the Protocol, needs to think ahead to create critical mass for ambitious targets after 2012.