Brussels, 04/12/2007 (Agence Europe) - The European Parliament environment committee, chaired by Miroslav Ouzky (EPP-ED, Czech Republic) supports the Commission's proposal to impose a green house gas reduction objective on fuel products used in road transport up to 2020. It is, however, requesting more ambitious objectives to meet the double challenge of rising oil prices and climate change. To make the oil industry more responsible, the committee believes that it is necessary to introduce clear criteria for the calculation of emissions throughout their life cycle, as well as strict sustainable production criteria for biofuels that guarantee that only those meeting these criteria can be used. This will be established in an effort to prevent any negative effects on food safety and biodiversity (deforestation, soil degradation).
Last week the environment committee stated during a first reading of the revised draft directive on the quality of petrol and diesel fuels (EUROPE 9552) that the environment committee had amended the Commission proposal in this direction.
Following the line of their rapporteur, Dorette Corbey (PES, Netherlands), MEPs gave their approval to the Commission proposal to introduce compulsory monitoring and readout of green house gases produced by fuels from their production to their use and transportation. Reduction of emissions by fuel producers up to 2020 is seen as a way of cutting CO2 emissions by 500 million. However, in order to be able to obtain greater flexibility, an amendment explains that CO2 emissions should be subject to a minimum reduction of 2% every two years between 2012-2020 (the Commission is proposing a 1% reduction every year from 2011).
Members of the parliamentary committee agree that from 1 January 2009, gas oil and diesel can no longer contain more than 1 mg/kg of sulphur. They also want to guarantee that the sulphur content in gas oil for non-road engines and river boats is lowered to 10mg/kg on 1 December 2009 rather than from 1 December 2011 (as proposed by the Commission).
In order to reduce hydrocarbon poly-aromatic toxic emissions (contained in diesel), MEPs want the authorised level to be lowered from 10% to 6% (rather than the 8% as proposed by the Commission).
In a press release, Claude Turmes (Green, Luxembourg) explained the scope of the vote in the following terms: “If we take into account the fact that road transport is responsible for around 20% of CO2 emissions in the EU, action is urgently required to lessen their negative impact on the environment. Reducing greenhouse gas emissions caused by fuels throughout their life cycle is crucial for the EU as part of its overall reduction in emissions. The vote at the environment committee is expected to encourage the oil industry to assume its responsibilities by reducing the polluting emissions it generates when it manufactures petrol and other fuels. The industry will have to ensure reductions of its emissions by improving its manufacturing processes, for example, through the efficiency of its refineries. At the same time this will discourage investment in more polluting fuels, such as unconventional petrol, asphalted sand or liquefied coal. By introducing strict sustainability criteria for agro-fuels, Parliament is hoping that none of these fuels, if used for the de-carbonisation objective, will have a negative accompanying effect”. (A.N.)