WRITTEN QUESTION E-0644/99

by Karl-Heinz Florenz (PPE) to the Commission

(16 March 1999)

Subject: The EU's climate protection policy

At the Third Conference of the Parties to the Framework Convention on Climate Change in Kyoto in December 1997 the European Union pledged to reduce CO2 emissions by 8 % as compared to the 1990 levels by the year 2010. The Federal Republic of Germany is responsible for the largest share of these emissions.

The German Federal Government has now made the "irreversible" abandonment of nuclear energy one of its aims. In this connection Chancellor Schröder stated in his Government Declaration that Germany would use a new energy-producing mixture of hard coal and brown coal.

What consequences will this energy policy objective of the German Federal Government have on the European Union's ability to honour its pledges in the context of the Kyoto Climate Protection Agreement? How does the Commission assess the trend introduced in Germany of abandoning nuclear energy in the context of the worldwide need for climate protection provisions?

Answer given by Mrs Bjerregaard on behalf of the Commission

(28 April 1999)

At Kyoto the Member States and the Community agreed to an emission reduction target of -8 % by 2008-2012 relative to 1990 levels for a basket of six greenhouse gases and not just for carbon dioxide(CO2). In the Community Germany accounts for the largest share of Community greenhouse gas emissions and in 1990 its emissions of the three most significant greenhouse gases - (CO2), methane and nitrous oxide - amounted to 1204 million tonns (Mt) of CO2 equivalent which is 28,6 % of total Community emissions. The German government also has a national target of reducing its CO2 emissions by 25 % on their 1990 level by 2005.

Under Article 4 of the Kyoto Protocol the Member States and the Community have the possibility of meeting the Kyoto emission reduction target they agreed jointly. In this context, the Member States agreed at the Environment Council in June 1998 on an internal burden sharing of the Community -8 % target. Germany agreed to a target of -21 % in the internal burden sharing. In 1995 Germany's greenhouse gas emissions were around 12 % below its 1990 emissions.

In meeting Germany's commitments under the Kyoto Protocol the major effort will come from the development and implementation of its national policies. Each Member State will develop policies and measures that are most cost-effective in meeting its commitment. Policies and measures at the Community level will also be necessary to support and complement national efforts.

As for the consequences for climate policy of the abandonment of nuclear energy in Germany, the position of the Commission has always been that balancing policy objectives such as the role of nuclear in the energy mix with climate change objectives is the responsibility of Member States. The consequences of a decision by Germany to phase out nuclear energy on its climate commitments and policy will be for the German government to assess. The Commission in its recent communications on climate has shown that significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions across all sectors can be achieved through greater energy efficiency, demand-side measures, the use of renewables and flexible mechanisms.

It is difficult at present to assess the impact on climate protection of any trend away from nuclear generated electricity in Germany since the information on how an eventual shift away from nuclear might take place is not yet established.