WRITTEN QUESTION P-2182/99

by Jorge Moreira Da Silva (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(19 November 1999)

Subject: CO2 emissions in Portugal

The 1997 Kyoto Conference on climate change saw Portugal, on the basis of its economic backwardness, negotiate the right to increase its CO2 emission levels to the year 2012 by 40 %, against the 1990 levels.

While the majority of EU countries agreed to lower their greenhouse gas levels, Portugal became the only country in the EU with the right actually to increase its emission of these gases.

However, last week, an exhaustive study on the major sources of greenhouse gas emissions was published by the Environmental Systems Analysis Working Party of the New University of Lisbon.

The study concluded that as of now, Portugal has already increased its levels of emissions by 34 % over 1990 values, and forecast that by the year 2010, Portugal will be emitting 62 % more CO2 than in 1990, far more than the extremely generous allowance of 40 % to 2012 actually agreed.

Given the seriousness of the situation, will the Commission please tell me, as a matter of urgency:

1. The most recent figures it has for greenhouse gas emission levels in Portugal;

2. What specific measures the Portuguese Government enacted with a view to controlling and lowering greenhouse gas emissions;

3. Whether there are other countries, apart from Portugal, where the discrepancy between the ceilings of CO2 emission levels established in Kyoto and the levels currently forecast for 2012 is so glaring;

4. What it intends to do to avoid a potential general failure on the part of the EU Member States to meet the emission levels laid down at Kyoto?

Answer given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission

(20 December 1999)

On 16 June 1998, the Council agreed on the contributions of Member States in order to achieve the 8 % reduction commitment of the Community in accordance with Article 4 of the Kyoto protocol. According to this agreement the so-called burden sharing the majority of Member States have to reduce their emissions below the 1990 levels in the commitment period 2008-2012. Five countries, among them Portugal, are allowed emission levels above the 1990 base year. However, the increase of these emissions is restricted and, in the case of Portugal, this amounts to 27 % (for the six gases of the Kyoto protocol). This burden sharing agreement was made in view of different social and economic developments in Member States.

The study mentioned by the Honourable Member has not been made available to the Commission and therefore can not be commented upon.

The monitoring of emission levels in Member States is regulated by Council Decision 93/389/EEC of 24 June 1993 for a monitoring mechanism of Community CO2 and other greenhouse gas emissions(1) recently amended by Decision 1999/296/EEC(2). According to this Decision Member States have to submit annual inventories and provide information on their national programmes to combat climate change. On the basis of this information the Commission will report annually to Council and Parliament about the progress achieved.

The most recent greenhouse gas inventory received by the Commission from Portugal was in 1997 and covered the years 1990 to 1994. Figures included in this inventory show a 7,9 % increase of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in 1994 compared to 1990 and an increase of 6 % when summing up the 3 main gases in CO2 equivalent (including methane and nitrous oxide taking into account their respective global warming potential). Unfortunately Portugal has not submitted data for more recent years. The same problem also exists for some other Member States. Furthermore, observed data for the Community as a whole as well as for most of the Member States indicate that CO2 emissions have been increasing since 1994. Presently, CO2 emissions in the Community are at about the 1990 level after having declined between 1990 and 1994.

Policies and measures devised by the Portuguese government to combat climate change are listed in Portugal's second report submitted in 1997 to the conference of parties to the framework convention on climate change (FCCC) (available on the United Nations (UN) FCCC web site).

The Commission expects to receive in the coming months updated information from Member States with regard to national programmes established under the monitoring mechanism decision mentioned above, as well as national inventory data for 1997 and 1998. The Commission will report next autumn to the Parliament and the Council on the results of its evaluation whether the Community and its Member States are on course to fulfil their commitments under the UNFCC convention, taking into account the requirements of the Kyoto protocol.

In line with the Council conclusions of 12 October 1999, the Commission also intends to strengthen and speed up its efforts in the development and implementation of common and co-ordinated policies and measures that can facilitate and contribute effectively to fulfilling the commitments of the Kyoto protocol.

(1) OJ L 167, 9.7.1993.

(2) OJ L 117, 5.5.1999.