WRITTEN QUESTION E-0110/01

by Cristiana Muscardini (UEN) to the Commission

(1 February 2001)

Subject: Air pollution and climate change

The world climate conference held recently in The Hague ended without agreement on a strategy to combat air pollution. The climate is therefore likely to continue deteriorating, causing great damage. A scientific report on climate change drawn up by the scientists of the IPCC (UN) has raised the alarm over the predictable disastrous consequences of such change unless action is taken as soon as possible to eliminate the causes. Meanwhile, even Europe is experiencing increasingly often climatic phenomena which devastate the environment and human lives, such as floods and heavy snowfalls which cause landslides or avalanches even in places which are usually immune from such occurrences.

1. Does the Commission share the fears expressed by the UN experts?

2. What is its opinion on the disagreement of The Hague and on the incapability of the world political system of overseeing the globalisation of environmental emergencies and of making decisions on everyone's behalf?

3. Does the Commission intend to maintain the objective established in Kyoto of a 5 % reduction in carbon dioxide emissions by the end of 2008?

4. What measures does it intend to propose to the governments, in the wake of this failure, to prevent as far as possible such dreaded environmental disasters?

5. Does it not consider it would be advisable to urgently refer back to the United Nations this issue which failed to be resolved in The Hague?

Answer given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission

(23 March 2001)

The Commission regards the Third Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) as an important warning that climate change is happening faster and to a more serious degree than originally expected. The report clearly stresses the importance of acting quickly and of making substantial reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.

Final negotiations focused mainly on the relationship between the Kyoto mechanisms and domestic action (supplementarity) and on land-use change and forestry (sinks). However, there was not enough time to fully

evaluate last-minute compromise proposals on the use of sinks in terms of their impact on countries inside and outside the Community. There was nevertheless sufficient evidence that the final proposals would have seriously compromised environmental integrity and the Community therefore decided not to accept them.

The Commission strongly regrets that it was not possible to reach agreement in The Hague. However, the outcome of 6th Conference of the Parties (COP6) was not entirely negative and some good progress was made: for example, a set of proposals responding to developing countries' needs and concerns was elaborated. Also on other issues such as policies and measures to reduce emissions, capacity building, technology transfer, emissions trading, joint implementation and compliance, progress was made at the technical level. All efforts should focus on finalising these decisions at the resumed session of COP6.

The Community is committed to the Kyoto target and, as stated at 5th Conference of the Parties (COP5), will undertake all effects for early ratification and entry into force of the Kyoto Protocol by 2002. In order to achieve the Community target of -8 %, an effective Community implementation strategy is necessary. With the European Climate Change Programme (ECCP), the Commission has made an important effort in this direction. The first phase of the European Climate Change Programme (ECCP) will finish in May and will result in clear policy recommendations for all important economic sectors such as energy and transport. In the second half of this year, the Commission intends to come forward with its implementation strategy accompanied by a proposal for Community ratification of the Kyoto Protocol.

Negotiations between Parties in the context of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change have been suspended but will be taken up again later this year. Mr Pronk, President of COP6, is in consultation with the different regional groups regarding the best time to officially resume the negotiations and how to best carry forward the process.

The Community urges all Parties, in particular the new United States administration, to engage in the negotiations in a constructive manner with a view to reaching an overall agreement as soon as possible.

The success of further negotiations will require a constructive spirit. The challenge is to find compromises that strike the right balance between Parties' concerns. Everybody wants cost-effective measures, but this must not compromise the environmental integrity of the Kyoto Protocol and must ensure the necessary support for developing countries in terms of sustainable development.