Brussels, 27/04/2010 (Agence Europe) - Commonsense, ambition and political will. That is what is recommended by Connie Hedegaard, European Commissioner for Climate Action, for the EU's policy on climate and for its strategy in the international talks so that Cancun (COP 16, Mexico, in December) will prove a success, leading to the conclusion of an ambitious and binding global climate agreement for the post-2012 period. The commissioner repeated this on Monday 26 April when addressing the environment committee of the European Parliament that she had come to brief on the latest developments in UN climate talks and preparations underway at the Commission.
“We must not allow ourselves to be bogged down by legal matters. If we only speak of legal points, then we shall not move forward”, the commissioner warned. She also vigorously called for the EU not to drag behind when it comes to green investment and not to let itself be overtaken by China, the United States and South Korea. It is a mistake to say that third countries are not doing anything, she stressed, when there is currently a pronounced tendency to make massive investment. China has $230 billion in green investment, the United States is investing $80 billion in clean energy, while the Union is only investing $25 billion. “Competition is fierce”, she said, adding that the EU must develop its policies. She went on to recall - much to the satisfaction of the members of the committee and its chairman, Jo Leinen (S&D, Germany) - that decoupling between economic growth and the consumption of resources and energy, increasing energy efficiency and strengthening competitiveness - three objectives that are in fact a single objective - is possible with a little political will.
Connie Hedegaard confirmed that the European Commission was preparing a communication proposing options to increase the reduction of European emissions from 20% to 30% by 2020. “This does not mean that the decision will be taken from one day to the next, but, if we want to be able to decide in full knowledge of the facts, then we must know the implications before the European Council of 17 and 18 June and the Environment Council of 21 June”, she said. Although, Hedegaard went on, it is impossible at this stage to be “too precise”, she did indicate that, given the results of first analyses, it would seem that it is technically and economically possible to reduce emissions by 30%. “Two years ago, when the energy/climate package was negotiated, the cost of reducing emissions by 20% was estimated at €70 billion. We know that, because of the financial crisis, this will be less expensive than planned. It is considered that this effort should cost one third less than initially estimated”.
The Commission is also working to allow the EU to continue implementation of the energy/climate package with: - agreement on the auctioning of emissions quotas; - rules on the attribution of free quota quantities to industrial sectors exposed to significant risk of carbon leakage; - the publication of the ceiling for 2013; - the EU's transition to a low-carbon content economy by 2050 (i.e. 80-95% emissions reduction by 2050 compared to 1990 levels); - a communication being prepared by the Commission for 2022 on a strategy for taking mitigation into account in other EU sectoral policies and financial instruments, together with examination of various policies (agriculture, water, research, transport, energy, taxation); - the future Green Paper on Transports that will reflect on ways to make the sector more modern and more effective and will make transport one of the most important sectors for “decarbonisation'”; - gradual restriction of emissions from light commercial vehicles with targets for 2020 and an intermediary stage (2014-2016), which, according to the commissioner, will give ample time for manufacturers to prepare. “Figures are ambitious but we are convinced that manufacturers can keep to them and that this regulation will help them step up long term competitiveness and strengthen their energy efficiency. I urge the Commission and the European Parliament to maintain the level of ambition”, said Connie Hedegaard, alluding to the October 2009 proposal for a regulation; - and the communication on European strategy for clean and energy-efficient vehicles to be presented by the Commission on Wednesday 28 April at the initiative of Industry Commissioner Antonio Tajani (in cooperation with Connie Hedegaard).
Answering Jo Leinen, who asked what the Commission's plans were concerning the €7.2 billion over three years promised by the EU for funding rapid implementation in favour of developing countries, Commissioner Hedegaard stressed how vital it was for the “credibility of the industrialised countries for commitments to be kept immediately”. Although some have questions when it comes to stepping up these funds, for the developing countries this is of major political importance. “The more fresh funding there is, the greater the political impact will be”, she pointed out. Addressing Richard Seeber (EPP, Austria), the commissioner was happy to announce that the Commission now has an interservices climate group to ensure this priority issue takes on a cross-cutting nature in EU 2020 strategy. In response to Peter Liese (EPP, Germany), who was concerned that air transport should be included in international talks, Hedegaard said: “We are holding talks with Washington at a very high level”. She also underlined how “crucial” it was for the Congress to vote through the US law on energy and climate that has just been deferred. (A.N./transl.jl)