Brussels, 16/02/2007 (Agence Europe) - Intensifying the fight against climate change beyond 2012 will be the focus of the attention of EU Environment Ministers meeting in Council in Brussels on 20 February. By way of a contribution to the Spring Summit of 8-9 March, they will give their opinion on the climate section of the “Energy for Europe” package proposed by the Commission on 10 January, and they will prepare the EU's position to retain its role as a driving force in the forthcoming international negotiations on a post-Kyoto regime. From this point of view, the various debates and the conclusions on climate change will be closely interlinked, and informed by “the search for coherence with the conclusions of the Energy and Competitiveness Councils”, said a diplomatic source.
Genetically modified organisms are the only issue on which formal decisions are expected, the session being, for the most part, devoted to exploratory debates. Sigmar Gabriel, German Minister for the Environment, the Protection of Nature and Nuclear Safety, will chair the discussions. Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas will represent the Commission. His colleague at Energy, Andris Piebalgs, will be invited to lunch. Here is the programme for the meeting:
Climate change
Negotiations on the situation post-2012: ahead of the next conference of parties to the Framework Convention on climate change and the Kyoto Protocol (in Bali in December), the Council will adopt conclusions on EU targets for a future international scheme to combat climate change beyond 2012. in view of the Coreper discussions and those within the Council working group, the conclusions are expected to subscribe to the two targets proposed by the Commission: a 30% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by all industrialised countries to be aimed for in international negotiations, and a reduction of at least 20% as a unilateral EU target if the international community fails to agree on 30%.
Spring Summit: the Council will hold a public debate and adopt conclusions on the “Energy for Europe” package presented by the Commission on 10 January. The debate will be informed by the political options for the EU and the world set out in the Commission communication “Limiting global climate change to 2 degrees Celsius - The way ahead for 2020 and beyond” (EUROPE 9341). The conclusions will form the Environment Council's contribution to the Spring Summit (8-9 March). There will be three main thrusts: - Environment-Innovation-Employment, the German presidency's main thread to take the EU towards a low carbon economy, improve energy efficiency and increase the share of renewable energy (see EUROPE 9350); - an integrated “energy and climate” strategy: it will be for ministers to decide if the 20% target for renewable energies by 2020, with 10% of biofuels, should be indicative or binding (the Energy Council of 15 February rejected the idea of a binding global target for renewable energies - see EUROPE 9367); - better regulation in the area of the environment.
Over lunch, the interaction between energy and climate will again be the topic of an exchange of views between the ministers and Energy Commissioner Andris Piebalgs.
Aviation and climate: the Council will hold a first exploratory debate on December's draft directive to include the aviation sector in the Community emissions quotas exchange scheme (see EUROPE 9332).
CO² emissions from passenger cars: the Council will hold an exploratory debate on the revised strategy which the Commission has just published for more drastic reductions in CO² emissions from passenger cars (see EUROPE 9361).
Pesticides: the Council will hold a public debate on the thematic strategy for the sustainable use of pesticides, presented by the Commission in July 2006.
Genetically modified organisms: the Council will be invited to give its opinion on the Commission proposal to require Hungary to lift the safeguard measure relating to MON 810 maize. At the last meeting, in December 2006, the Council, by qualified majority, voted against a similar attempt by the Commission concerning Austria and the same GMO.
The Council is expected also to vote by qualified majority on the proposed marketing of a colouring for carnations (daintus acryophyllus 123.2.38)
Protection of the soil: the Council will hold an exploratory debate on the thematic strategy and the draft framework directive (amending directive 2004/35/EC which goes along with it. (an)