Brussels, 19/09/2013 (Agence Europe) - On Wednesday 18 September, the European Parliament's environmental committee provided long-term reform of the carbon trading system, ETS, with a setback by rejecting a draft resolution on the state of carbon trading in 2012, listing structural measures for dealing with the system's weaknesses in the long term. The majority of MEPs on the committee rejected the document, thus jeopardising the chances of it being discussed at the next plenary as planned.
The draft resolution pointed out that the EU's current climate target, reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 20% by 2020 on the 1990 levels, will be achieved. An amendment suggested raising the target to 25% by the same date, but the EPP voted against this, leading to rejection of the resolution (27 in favour, 32 against and no abstentions), to the dismay of the resolution's author, Peter Liese (EPP, Germany), who had the support of the Social Democrats. The committee chair, Mathias Groote (S&D, Germany), expressed his disgust, saying that the conservatives simply do not understand how important ETS is for the EU and the environment. He said they had damagingly voted against a draft document on structural measures to make ETS more effective, but it is important for the EP to have a clear position to give certainty to investors in low-carbon technology.
In the past, the European Parliament plenary has called for an unconditional 30% reduction. If the political groups do not lodge a draft joint resolution before the next plenary (7-10 October), then there will not be a debate on the issue at the plenary. There remains, however, an oral question to the Council and the Commission on the state of the carbon market, which is on the agenda for 8 October. (AN/transl.fl)