Brussels, 18/09/2014 (Agence Europe) - Among the many voices expressing alarm at the little emphasis laid on the environment and sustainable development in the forthcoming Juncker Commission, a slightly different one could be heard on Wednesday 17 September: that of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN). This organisation argues that it is not so much the structure and organisation of the portfolios within the Juncker Commission which matter, but the political will of the future Commission to make the best use of them to allow the EU to be a leading figure in sustainable development matters. However, the future of European legislation on nature protection is of genuine concern to this international organisation.
The IUCN is aware that the merger of the responsibilities for energy and climate on the one hand, and maritime affairs and the environment on the other, will fundamentally change the political landscape of the EU. It also understands that the absence of a Commissioner specifically dedicated to the environment and one for climate change will raise concerns that “these crucial political areas” will be marginalised in favour of the interests of industry, agriculture, fisheries and energy.
“On the other hand, one can also argue that, in an ideal world, closer cooperation between these intertwined portfolios could, if well managed, lead to beneficial synergies, which would overcome the current compartmentalisation of EU environment policy-making that has in the past often resulted in contradicting decisions”, says Luc Bas, director of the IUCN's Representation to the EU. He goes on to add that “it will be crucial to ensure that environmental protection and nature conservation become further ingrained as key guiding principles in other policy areas, and to stress the importance of decisive action on climate change through adequate EU energy, transport and agriculture policy. It does, however, remain difficult to see how the new constellation of the European Commission will be able to ensure that this happens”.
In an ideal world, climate change and environment should be a combined responsibility at Commission vice-president level. Not only would this make sustainable development and resource efficiency a true priority, but would also boost Europe's competitiveness and innovation capacity in the global green economy race, he stressed. Lamenting the fact that “Europe does not seem ready for that paradigm shift quite yet”, the IUCN points out that, whilst the creation of a post of vice-president for the energy union is a promising step for enhancing the EU's energy independence, it does not automatically guarantee that environment and climate change will be adequately addressed.
EU legislation on nature protection under threat. Although the assessment of the birds and habitats directives could be a useful exercise in improving their effectiveness, any revision aiming to transform these directives into a modern piece of legislation “leaves dangerous room for interpretation in a context of deregulation. There is a clear risk that this overhaul could weaken Europe's nature legislation and with it our role as international leaders in promoting nature as a solution for both environmental and societal challenges”, said Bas. The IUCN intends to follow developments in this revision very closely. (AN)