Climate Change Committee sets out future policy goals

Source: European Parliament (EP) i, published on Wednesday, December 3 2008.

Parliament's Temporary Committee on Climate Change adopted on Tuesday its final recommendations for a future EU integrated policy on climate change. MEPs take as basis the EU objective to keep the global average temperature increase below 2°C and call for a target of a 25-40% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions to be achieved by 2020. They recommend detailed measures to be taken in the key economic sectors.

MEPs in the committee are concerned that "climate change is both more rapid and more serious in terms of its adverse effects than was previously thought". Therefore the Commission should monitor, "whether the EU 2°C target would still achieve the aim of avoiding dangerous climate change". Furthermore the EU and the other industrialised countries should set as a group, a medium-term target of a 25-40% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2020, as well as a long-term reduction target of at least 80% by 2050, compared to 1990.

A visionary desire to make a difference

According to the committee  we are at a turning point in energy and climate policy, reflected in a growing scarcity of raw materials but MEPs stress  it is important "not to capitulate in face of the complexity of the problem but to show a visionary desire to make a difference". MEPs call for global warming and ensuing climate change issues be incorporated in all spheres and policies. Political and educational measures on the basis of a long term perspective are necessary and the citizens need to be engaged in the process of tackling climate change. 

Detailed recommendations for tackling climate change

The report sets out in detail a broad range of measures, which, according to MEPs, should be taken in the following fields: energy, biofuels, energy efficiency, mobility, logistics, tourism, carbon capture and storage, agriculture, livestock rearing, forests, soil protection, water management, fisheries, waste and resource management, adaptation measures, health, promotion of technologies of the future, intelligent computer systems, education, training and awareness raising.

Measures proposed in the report include:

  • - 
    a binding goal of 20% improvement in energy efficiency by 2020 should be proposed by the Commission as well as specific interim reduction targets; 
  • - 
    minimum energy efficiency criteria should be included in a comprehensive public procurement policy for public buildings and services;
  • - 
    a flexible policy is needed which take account of the complex nature of biofuels production, including life-cycle greenhouse gas emissions and assessment of all relevant indirect effects;
  • - 
    the Commission should rethink the notion of quotas for biofuels and develop flexible policies taking into account the complex nature of biofuels;
  • - 
    the Commission should consider setting binding reduction targets for GHG emissions from the agricultural sector;
  • - 
    a European Climate Fund and/or corresponding funds in the Member States should be established;
  • - 
    an EU-wide "supergrid" accessible to all forms of electricity providers should be developed;
  • - 
    incentives should be made available for citizens to reduce emissions in an affordable way, e.g. by developing information on the carbon content of products and services.

Highest priority in EU spending should be climate change

MEPs think that in the next EU financial framework, the highest priority must be given to climate change and measures to combat it. They also see the need to increase funding to combat climate change in developing countries and want to incorporate emission reduction requirements and adaptation to climate change in development aid programmes.

The committee plans to publish a version of its report for the general reader within three months after its adoption in plenary which is planed for the part- session in February 2009.

Parliament set up its Temporary Committee on Climate Change on 25 April 2007.  The report adopted on Tuesday represents the findings of the committee after completing its work.

02/12/2008

In the chair : Guido SACCONI (PES, IT)

Procedure: Own-initiative report (Temporary Committee) -- Plenary vote: February, Strasbourg

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