In Brussels on Tuesday 30 May, the European Parliament’s environment committee backed the draft regulation on the sharing of effort on reducing greenhouse gases in the non-ETS sectors (transport, building, agriculture and waste) among the member states over the period from 2021 to 2030 but they tightened the provisions to block any loopholes (see EUROPE 11756 and 11700).
The proposal was tabled in July 2016 with the aim, in these sectors which represent 60% of the European Union’s greenhouse gas emissions, of allowing the EU to achieve a 30% emissions reduction by 2030, compared with 2005, so as to implement the Paris climate agreement.
Following the line of rapporteur Gerben-Jan Gerbrandy (ALDE, Netherlands) and accepting a compromise on the starting point for the emissions reduction trajectory, the flexibilities available and the long-term objective, the MEPs approved the amended text by 42 votes to 4, with 20 abstentions.
By virtue of their compromise amendments, the MEPs took 2018 as the starting point for national emissions reductions instead of 2020 as proposed by the Commission.
They also put a cap on the Lulucf flexibility that allows member states to use their forestry credits to achieve their national targets – this was to close a loophole roundly criticised by environmental NGOs and the Greens.
The MEPs also voted for a long-term reduction target – by 2015 – to provide predictability for investors.
The text passed introduced an “early action reserve” to encourage member states to take action before 2020, in exchange for more flexibility during the latter part of the scheme. This would benefit member states with lower than average per capita GDP and a lower capacity to invest.
To help member states achieve their goals, the regulation allows them to borrow up to 10% of the following year’s allowance, reducing it accordingly.
The vote was hailed by the NGOs and Greens as progress, though still not enough, they believe, to meet the targets of the Paris Agreement.
Parliament will put the matter to the vote at the plenary session of 12-15 June. The issue will be on the agenda of the Environment Council of 19 June. (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)