Canberra Times
Friday 19/12/2008 Page: 14
The European parliament approved the EU's climate change package yesterday, removing the last hurdle facing the ambitious plan aimed at reducing 20 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions by 2020. Six texts on the package, already agreed by the 27 European Union member states, were passed by a large majority of the MEPs present. "We have sealed the climate package," European Parliament president Hans-Gert Poettering said after the vote.
The "20-20-20" climate package, which the Europeans hope will serve as a model to other nations, oblige EU nations by 2020 to cut carbon dioxide emissions by 20 per cent by from 1990 levels; to make 20 per cent energy savings; and to bring the use of renewable energy sources tip to 20 per cent of the total. The parliamentary approval came five days after EU heads of state and government worked out a compromise deal on the package at a summit in Brussels.
Within the overall EU targets, each EU nation and industry sector has its own obligations under the package, and last-minute dispensations were given, particularly to Poland and Germany, which were concerned at the effects on industry. German conservatives also complained that the package was too tough on industry and evoked the spectre of "carbon leakage" where jobs would move out of a highly regulated region with no benefit to the European economy or the global environment. But environmental groups complain that the package was so watered down in the attempts to reach a deal that the measures adopted would no longer meet the promised climate change targets.
Greenpeace EU climate and energy policy director Joris den Blanken said, "The parliament has marginalised itself by lacking the courage to make even small changes to the compromises negotiated by the EU summit last Friday. "Europe promised leadership on climate, but so far it has led us up the garden path. The climate package doesn't even take its halfway to where we should be in the fight against climate change." A senior adviser to the World Wildlife Fund, Delia Villagrasa, said, "This is not quite the third Industrial Revolution trumpeted when proposals were presented at the beginning of the year.
"The 20 per cent target sounds nice in words, but is void because EU countries are allowed to accomplish approximately three-quarters of the effort outside EU borders, which translates into European emission reduced by only 4-5 per cent between now and 2020." But Swedish Liberal Democrat MEP Lena Ek hailed the agreement as "a win-win situation". "Finally we have this package. In a period where we have to go through an economic crisis, this package is a win-ruin situation. "The green investments will create jobs and give our industry a lead.
By adopting this set of measures we have confirmed Europe's leadership in tackling global warming." French Environment Minister Jean-Louis Borloo said, "Mission accomplished. We'll see the full benefit if we reach a global deal in Copenhagen." The EU hopes its climate and energy package will serve as a model for the US, China, India and other heavy polluters at international climate change talks to be held in Copenhagen next December. The EU nations say they are prepared to increase their greenhouse gas cuts to 30 per cent if there is a global climate change deal.
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