Accord in sight on projects eligible for Kyoto ‘credits’

Date: 15/06/2000

By Renée Cordes

EU GOVERNMENTS are set to agree a preliminary list of the types of clean-energy projects which countries could fund in the developing world to qualify for greenhouse gas emission reduction 'credits'.

Environment ministers are now expected to call next week for solar, co-generation and other kinds of green energy to be included in a 'positive list' of schemes which could be used to offset pledges to cut emissions at home.

The move comes as parties to the 1997 Kyoto climate change accord are struggling to define what kind of energy should qualify for clean development mechanism (CDM) credits. These policy options, along with other 'flexible mechanisms', are based on the premise that since global warming is an international problem, it does not matter where in the world emissions reductions are made as long as the overall goal is achieved.

The US has so far been opposed to any kind of prioritised list. But EU member states are under increasing pressure from environmental groups to draw up detailed criteria for the types of projects which would be acceptable, a move which advocates argue would give a much-needed boost to renewable energy while discouraging the use of nuclear power.

"It is certainly encouraging that there is a strong move to get the positive list going on CDMs," said Robert Bradley of Climate Network Europe. "Our only fear about an exclusive list is that we have to be very careful about what gets in it."

He insisted that ministers must not bow to pressure from some member states and the industry itself to include nuclear energy on the list. Non-governmental organisations are also vehemently opposed to the use of 'sinks', which would allow countries to offset emissions targets through forestry and agricultural activities which absorb carbon naturally from the atmosphere.

Ministers are also set to call for the development of a "strong and comprehensive" system to ensure compliance with the Kyoto targets. In addition, they will insist that priority should be given to EU action in the energy, transport and industry areas, and call for an acceleration of the work on a framework for energy taxation.

If the Union comes out strongly in favour of a positive CDM list, as expected, this would intensify the pressure on other industrialised countries to follow suit in the run-up to the next international climate change conference in November.

"It is important that the EU has some kind of resolution on the issue," said Liam Salter of the World Wide Fund for Nature. He said that even if governments were not ready to agree a detailed list next week, they should at least agree on the principle now and flesh out the proposal later.

EU governments are set to agree a preliminary list of the types of clean-energy projects which countries could fund in the developing world to qualify for greenhouse gas emission reduction 'credits'.