Ministers to back carbon targets

EU environment ministers are ready to back carbon dioxide emission reduction targets proposed by the European Commission last month.

An Environment Council meeting next Tuesday (20 February) is expected to back a 20% carbon dioxide (CO2) reduction target for the EU by 2020, rising to 30% if other wealthy countries including the US and Australia also adopt binding targets.

Government officials say the 15 ‘old’ EU member states are all ready to commit themselves to 20% and 30% targets, ahead of final approval by a meeting of EU leaders on 8-9 March.

The 12 countries that have joined the Union since May 2004, however, are questioning the idea of basing emission reductions on 1990 levels, in line with the Kyoto Protocol on climate change.

During EU accession talks, many of these new member states negotiated the right to base their reductions on 1988 or 1989 levels, when eastern Europe was more heavily industrialised.

"Everyone agrees with the 20% and 30% targets in principle," explained one government official. "We are now just dealing with a technical problem of finding wording that is acceptable to all."

He summarised the problem as: "How do we make it clear that the EU as a whole sticks to 1990 as the base year, but allow some individual states to continue with their individual years?"

• Ministers will also vote on whether or not to approve a genetically modified (GM) carnation for sale as a cut flower in Europe.

The European Food Safety Authority last June agreed there was no scientific evidence to show that the sale of ornamental ‘dianthus caryophyllus’ carnations would pose any health or environmental risks. GM carnations can already be bought in many parts of Europe, including the UK and the Netherlands.

But a qualified majority vote for or against the flower is unlikely. Three large countries - Germany, Italy and Poland - are expected either to abstain from voting or to vote against an approval. In the absence of science to support a ban, with no clear support or rejection of the proposal from member states the Commission may unilaterally permit marketing of the carnation.

Governments at the Environment Council will also hold debates on bringing aviation into the EU’s CO2 emission trading scheme, reducing CO2 emissions from cars and the safe use of pesticides.

EU environment ministers are ready to back carbon dioxide emission reduction targets proposed by the European Commission last month.