Climate change

By Teresa Küchler

Date: 30/06/05

Total greenhouse gas emissions in the EU15 decreased by a modest 1.7% between 1990 and 2003, according to a report from the European Environment Agency, published last week (21 June). The spread of carbon dioxide (CO2) into the biosphere grew by 3.4%, mostly because of the use of coal-fired power plants for electricity generation.

But according to the Kyoto Protocol on climate change, which came into effect in February this year, the EU is supposed to bring its greenhouse gas emissions down to 8% below 1990 levels before 2012.

The UK is making action on climate change a priority while it is chairing both the EU and the G8 of industrialised nations.

"Climate change is century's biggest challenge for the global community," stated UK Environment Minister Margaret Beckett in early June. "If the problem remains uncontrolled, we will see the economical and social consequences, particularly for the people in developing countries who, ironically, are the ones who have least contributed to this global threat."

Scientists predict that the global temperature will rise by 1.4-5.8°C within the next 100 years, with severe consequences. If the polar ice melts, the water level of the world's oceans will rise an estimated 15-20 cm over the next 100 years. This will cause severe flooding in coastal areas. In Europe it is the Netherlands and parts of south-east England that are in the danger zone.

The European Council in Gothenburg in 2001 was supposed to have placed sustainability at the centre of the European debate but environmental campaigners fear that concern over economic growth and jobs may have set back their cause. The UK presidency will strive to show that concern for the environment and for economic growth are not incompatible.

The task will not be easy. The US, the world's top polluter, has not signed up to Kyoto and will not do so. The present agreement does not set targets for large developing countries including India and China. With booming manufacturing industries and fast-growing populations, the EU believes that they must be brought within the scope of any international agreement to govern emissions post-2012.

Anders Wijkman, a member of the European Parliament's environment committee, appointed to lead the assembly's work on climate change this year, says: "Since the EU only makes up 14% of global greenhouse gas combustion, its main preoccupations should be to get the rest of the world to move in the right direction.

"All possible methods to get the US to collaborate in the climate work have to be tried and the EU must support China and India economically in finding the cleanest and most effective energy technology possible.

Otherwise, their emissions will torpedo whatever action we take at home."

The UK government will try to "secure worldwide action" during its EU presidency. For that, it needs a carrot. One of the strategies is by allowing trade in emission rights, that is, buying and selling 'rationing coupons' on a global 'emissions stock exchange'.

The emissions-trading scheme has been developing this year with the recent completion of national allocation plans. But the allocations (and conversely the restrictions) of CO2 apply as yet only to major industrial users. It does not include air traffic, a fast growing pollutant. One flight between two continental European cities releases the same amount of CO2 as an average car does in a year. The UK presidency wants to expand the market for emission rights and include the aviation sector from at the latest 2008.

Sceptics say that the trade in allowances means that polluters in a rich country such as the US can escape from environmental undertakings by buying quotas from poor countries. Such a system is not fair, they say. But others say that an estimated increase of 65 million tonnes of CO2 over three years as some countries give up their 'right' to pollute, adequately compensated, is worth the unfairness.

UK Presidency's environment hit-list

• The British presidency hopes to wind up a series of pending legislative dossiers and proposals for decision at the Environment Council in December. As well as climate change, the UK presidency has several other environmental issues it wants to highlight.
• It wants to settle the EU's long-debated chemicals policy, the REACH (Registration, Evaluation and Authorisation of Chemicals) programme. Adopted by the Commission in October 2003, the proposal, under fierce attack from the chemicals industry, is currently being examined by the European Parliament and the Council of Ministers.
• Five so-called thematic strategies from the Commission will be pushed forward during the autumn for discussion at the Environment Council: waste prevention and recycling, air pollution, marine environment, sustainable use of pesticides and sustainable use of natural resources. The strategies will underlie the Commission's long-term environment policy that will run until 2010.
• A reinforced follow-up to the Gothenburg Sustainable Development Act is expected to be the culmination of the autumn's environmental policy work. The UK presidency wants the act to be translated into concrete measures, such as rules on environmental tax reforms, government subsidies for green initiatives, "eco-innovation" and a cleaner transport system.

The European Environment Agency (EEA) on 21 June 2005 published its 'Annual European Community greenhouse gas inventory 1990-2003 and inventory report 2005' in which it collated national estimates on greenhouse gas emissions across the EU. The main findings of the report were that total greenhouse gas emissions in the EU15 had decreased by a modest 1.7% between 1990 and 2003, and that the spread of carbon dioxide (CO2) into the biosphere had grown by 3.4%, mostly because of the use of coal-fired power plants for electricity generation. Article takes a look at the UK's work programme in the field during its Presidency of the EU Council, July-December 2005.

European Environment Agency: Reports about Europe's environment: Annual European Community greenhouse gas inventory 1990-2003 and inventory report 2005, Technical report No 4/2005 http://reports.eea.europa.eu/technical_report_2005_4/en

---