Brussels, 09/06/2015 (Agence Europe) - Revision of EU air quality legislation with a view to reducing the number of premature deaths due to atmospheric pollution by 2030 and preparations for the Paris climate conference (COP 21) at the end of the year are the two main items on the agenda of the Environment Council in Luxembourg on Monday 15 June.
Latvian Minister for Environmental Protection and Regional Development Kaspars Gerhards will be in the chair for the last time before handing over the reins to the Luxembourg Presidency of the Council of the EU. European Environment Commissioner Karmenu Vella and his colleague at Climate Action and Energy Miguel Arias Canete will represent the Commission.
New national emissions ceilings. The Council will hold a policy debate on the proposal for a revised directive on reducing national emissions of certain atmospheric pollutants (NEC directive), setting tighter ceilings for the six main pollutants by 2025 to be met by 2030 and bringing in provisions on methane and ammonia.
The issue is extremely sensitive as many member states are already finding current limits difficult to meet. “The room for manoeuvre that member states have is limited. The level of ambition for 2030 is the central question. The Commission will have to provide further explanation to see if it will be possible for the Council to agree a robust position”, a Presidency source said on Tuesday.
Ministers will be asked to respond to questions. What do they see as the main difficulties in attaining the 2030 goals? Apart from the central objective of halving the number of premature deaths in the EU, what further points could be explored in order to devise realistic and ambitious options for 2030?
The outcome of the debate will feed into the preparation of the Council's common position ahead of negotiations with the European Parliament.
At the first policy debate on this issue on 12 June of last year, ministers expressed their concerns at the level of ambition which they felt was too high and several delegations asked for a more detailed impact assessment of the proposal, including in the agricultural sector (see EUROPE 10987). The European Parliament will shortly adopt a first reading position. The Commission could then amend its proposal, as Commissioner Vella has said (see EUROPE 11263).
Climate “on road to Paris”. After the G7 summit in Elmau (see EUROPE 11330) and the negotiation meeting of international experts in Bonn (1-11 June), ministers will take stock of preparations for the UN conference in Paris (COP 21, 30 November-11 December) at which it is hoped that a global, legally binding and dynamic agreement will be reached, to come into force in 2020. The debate will focus on the architecture of the future Paris protocol.
Ministers will be asked by the Presidency to give their thoughts on: - how to ensure that intended nationally determined contributions (INDCs) are turned into national contributions, and how best to ensure universal participation and the highest possible level of ambition in the Paris agreement; - given the dynamic nature of the Paris agreement, what the arrangements should be for a review cycle in order to ensure the durability of the agreement and keep the 2 degrees Celsius objective within reach; and what the response should be to calls from other parties for dynamism to apply to more than mitigation.
The discussion will continue over lunch. The results will allow a first draft to be prepared of Council conclusions on the position the EU will argue in Paris.
Other business. Ministers will also be briefed on other issues, such as the inter-institutional agreement on the European carbon market stability reserve, which will be finalised in July, the Juncker investment plan; the Lisbon Charter; recent international meetings; and the work programme of the incoming Luxembourg Presidency. (Aminata Niang)