EN Official Journal of the European Union C 214/44

Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on the ‘Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EU) No 525/2013 as regards the technical implementation of the Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change’

COM(2013) 769 final — 2013/0377 (COD)

2014/C 214/09

Rapporteur: Mr Adams

On 18 November 2013 the European Parliament and on 10 December 2013 the Council decided to consult the European Economic and Social Committee, under Articles 192(1) and 304 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, on the

Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EU) No 525/2013 as regards the technical implementation of the Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change

COM(2013) 769 final — 2013/0377 (COD).

The Section for Agriculture, Rural Development and the Environment, which was responsible for preparing the Committee's work on the subject, adopted its opinion on 12 February 2014.

At its 496th plenary session, held on 26 and 27 February 2014 (meeting of 26 February), the European Economic and Social Committee adopted the following opinion by 226 votes to 5 with 12 abstentions.

1. Conclusions and recommendations

1.1 The proposal facilitates and enables the technical implementation of existing agreements relating to the Kyoto protocol. The Committee supports the proposal as presented.

2. General Introduction

2.1 The Kyoto protocol, the 1997 agreement between nations to mandate country-by-country reductions in greenhouse-gas emissions, came into force in 2005. Industrialised nations pledged to cut their yearly emissions of carbon, measured by six greenhouse gases (GHG), by varying amounts, averaging 5,2 %, by 2012 as compared to 1990. Even though global GHG emissions have risen by 40 % since 1990 the Kyoto protocol is nevertheless regarded as a small but essential first step in international action.

2.2 Under Kyoto the ‘EU-15’ were committed to reducing their collective emissions to 8 % below 1990 levels by the years 2008-2012 and this is likely to have been over-achieved. Member States that have joined the EU since 2004 also have Kyoto reduction targets of 5 %, 6 % or 8 % which they are on course to achieve or exceed. For 2020, the EU has made a unilateral commitment to reduce overall greenhouse gas emissions from its 28 Member States by 20 % compared to 1990 levels.

2.3 While EU GDP grew by 45 % between 1990 and 2011, total greenhouse gas emissions from today's 28 Member States — including emissions from international aviation, which are covered by the EU's unilateral commitment — were 16,9 % below the 1990 level in 2011 and an estimated 18 % below 1990 in 2012. Member States' latest projections show that total emissions in 2020, including international aviation, will be 21 % below the 1990 level.

2.4 The ‘Doha Amendment’ to the Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change establishes a second commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol, starting on 1 January 2013 and ending on 31 December 2020.

2.5 The Kyoto Protocol’s second commitment period will continue and enhance the existing comprehensive system of emissions accounting to ensure transparency of the performance of Parties and compliance with their obligations.

2.6 The implementation of the Kyoto Protocol after 2012 requires a set of technical implementation rules to be drawn up for the European Union, its Member States and Iceland. The recent Monitoring Mechanism Regulation does not contain the legal basis that would enable the Commission to adopt delegated acts relating to the implementation of rules on the second engagement period. Accordingly, it is necessary to amend Regulation (EU) No 525/2013 to supply the legal basis required.

3. Summary of the proposal for amending the Regulation

3.1 The proposed Regulation provides the basis for implementing a number of technical issues through the adoption of legal acts. Specifically these issues are: — Unit management processes such as transactions of Kyoto units (issuance, transfer, acquisition, cancellation, retirement, carry-over, replacement or expiry date change) in and between the national registries of the European Union, Member States and Iceland — Accounting processes related to the transition from the first to the second commitment period, including the carry-over of surplus accounting units from the first to the second commitment period — The establishment and maintenance of a previous period surplus reserve and a commitment period reserve for each member of the joint fulfilment agreement — The levy or ‘share of proceeds’ applied to the issuance of ERUs (emission reduction units) and the first international transfer of AAUs (assigned amount units) in the second commitment period.

4. General comments

4.1 In summary the proposal would permit the EU to implement the 2nd commitment period of the Kyoto protocol, allowing issue, transfers and carry-over of Kyoto accounting units. It would also allow the Commission to decide on ‘delegated acts’. The proposal facilitates and enables the technical implementation of existing agreements. The Committee supports the proposal as presented.