Brussels, 16/11/2015 (Agence Europe) - From 2016, the European Parliament will be 100% carbon neutral, the institution announced on 13 November, making it the first EU institution to be able to boast such a performance.
A fortnight before COP 21, the Bureau of the European Parliament, made up of the President, Vice-Presidents and Quaestors decided that the Parliament's irreducible carbon emissions can, from next year, be fully offset by financial support for renewable energy and efficient energy projects, which aim to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions. The 100% offsetting goal will be funded up to €250,000. Projects in the ACP (Africa, Caribbean, Pacific) countries linked to the EU by the Cotonou Agreement should be considered first for funding.
Parliament, which has very high hopes for COP 21, thus becomes the first EU institution to put its money where its mouth is by extending the scope of its carbon-offsetting scheme. The scheme, in force since September 2011, only included emissions from official staff travel and official cars and from energy use and technical installations in Parliament buildings. The new scheme encompasses all Parliament's irreducible carbon emissions, including those from MEPs' flights between their countries of origin and Brussels and Strasbourg.
“Some weeks ahead of COP21 in Paris this is a great signal from inside the European institutions showing that we are willing to live up to our goals. The EU will have to seriously raise its ambition if it is to play a positive role in making COP21 a success”, said Bureau Deputy Chair Ulrike Lunacek (Greens/EFA, Austria), reiterating the Parliament position for COP 21 (see EUROPE 11396). Lunacek, who is responsible for the EU Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS), went on to state that “Parliament will further improve the implementation of its environmental practices throughout the Parliament in key areas, such as water, paper and electricity consumption, waste recycling and awareness-raising”. (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)