Commission told to reject NAPs plans

The second round of trading plans for carbon dioxide emissions do not go far enough and should be rejected by the European Commission, according to a report from WWF, the conservation group, to be published today (27 July).

Only six EU member states have so far proposed final National Allocation Plans (NAPs) for the period 2008-12. The deadline for submission was 30 June but at the time of going to press six countries had not sent even draft proposals to Brussels.

The final and provisional NAPs available will now need huge changes, according to Delia Villagrasa of WWF. "We are calling on the Commission to reject plans which are not in line with Kyoto or national targets or which disincentivise clean prod-uction in Europe," she said.

The report says that in most cases the total number of emission permits foreseen is too high. Most countries are criticised for not deciding to auction off emission permits, preferring instead to divide them among companies at no cost. Auctioning would make big polluters clean up, or pay for permission to emit more CO2, according to WWF.

The environmental lobbyists also say member states put too much emphasis on carbon emission credits gained by funding clean development projects outside the EU, rather than cutting their own emissions.

WWF focuses on five countries responsible for more than 60% of EU greenhouse gas emissions: Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain and the UK. Poland comes in for particular criticism, with a proposed 17.2% increase in the number of emission allowances and a heavy reliance on non-EU clean development projects.

The Commission suggested a 6% reduction in cap levels compared to the 2004-07 round, while WWF recommended a 9% cut. Germany and the UK propose cuts of less than 4% in their draft NAPs. Spain and Italy meanwhile are congratulated for proposing reductions of 15.9% and 13%.

When it comes to auctioning, only the UK is on the right track, says the green group, with a proposal to auction 7% of its allowances. Poland suggests auctioning 1%.

A Commission spokeswoman said that the Commission would carry out its own analysis of the NAPs and be as tough as necessary when it came to approvals.

The second round of trading plans for carbon dioxide emissions do not go far enough and should be rejected by the European Commission, according to a report from WWF, the conservation group, to be published today (27 July).