Dutch back Exxon emissions plan

By Anna McLauchlin

Date: 09/09/04

THE Dutch EU presidency will try to persuade the European Commission to adopt a protocol produced by Exxon Mobil for measuring greenhouse gases so as to create a "level playing field" when member states begin trading emissions next year.

A spokesman told European Voice that Dutch policymakers would present the idea to the Commission's climate change working group in the coming months.

The protocol is the result of two years' work between the Dutch government and Esso Nederland, Exxon's Dutch affiliate. It sets out how industrial installations should measure carbon dioxide and nitric oxide emissions.

The Dutch environment ministry recently presented Esso Nederland's Rotterdam refinery with an award for the protocol, which will be used as a model across the Netherlands.

"We are convinced of the benefit of having a protocol for everyone in the industry," said Exxon Mobil's Nelo Emerencia. "Our protocol has crystal- clear procedures, built on in-house experience, which will give the industry transparency so that when we start emissions trading there will be a level playing field."

But Arthur Runge-Metzger, the Commission's head of climate change, expressed reservations.

"We already have monitoring and reporting guidelines which give a framework for how monitoring should work.

"This protocol has been drawn up for a refinery in Rotterdam. There are more than 10,000 installations across Europe involved in emissions trading and they are not all refineries."

But Emerencia insisted the protocol would work for all. "It's the concept which is important [and it] can be applied to a refinery or a kitchen."

Member states will begin emissions trading from next year to try to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 8% from 1990 levels by 2008-12.

The EU-25 must allocate a total quantity of carbon dioxide emissions to companies, which they can buy and sell from each other.

The Dutch EU Presidency backs a protocol produced by Exxon Mobil's Dutch affiliate Esso Nederlands, which sets out how to measure greenhouse gases for the trade in emissions among Member States, due to start in 2005.

• Primary Source

European Commission: DG Environment: Climate change: EU greenhouse gas monitoring mechanism http://ec.europa.eu/comm/environment/climat/greenhouse_monitoring.htm

European Commission: DG Environment: Climate change http://ec.europa.eu/comm/environment/climat/home_en.htm

Esso Nederland: Newsroom, 30 August 2004 http://www.esso.be/Benelux-English/newsroom/Bnl_Dutch_Award.asp

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