Proposal for a COUNCIL DECISION for a monitoring mechanism of Community CO2 and other greenhouse gas emissions
Date: 1992-06-01
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: EU programme, climate, climate change, combustion gases, greenhouse effect, greenhouse gas, pollution control measures, stratospheric pollution

COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN  COMMUNITIES 

ANNULE ET REHPLACE LE 
DOC.  SEC (92) 854 final 

COM(92) 181 final 

Brussels, 1  June 1992 

Proposal  for a 

COUNCIL  DECISION 

for  n  •onltorlnn  ^ h . r , !^ 

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and  other  greenhouse  g»»  M I M I AM 

(presented by the Commission) 

EXPLANATORY  MEMORANDUM 

The  European  Counc 11  held  in  Dub 11 n  on  June  1990  recognized  the 
global  dimension  of  the greenhouse  effect  and urged  all  countries  to 
adopt  as  soon  as  possible  targets  and  strategies  for  limiting 
emissions of greenhouse gases. 

2.  The Joint Council of Energy and Environment  Ministers agreed  at  their 
meeting  on  29  October  1990  to  take  actions  aiming  at  reaching 
stabilization  of  total  C02  emissions  by  the  year  2000  at  1990 
I eve Is. 

3.  The  Commission's  communication  on  "A  Community  Strategy  to  Limit 
Carbon  Dioxide  emissions  and  to  improve  energy  efficiency"  of  14 
October  1991  recognized  that  a moni tor ino mechanism  should  be  set up 
to  follow  whether  the  C02  stabilization  target  of  the  Community  is 
being  reached. 

4.  In this context  the Joint  Council  of Energy and Environment  Ministers 
agreed  at  their  meeting  of  13  December  1991  that  it  is  necessary, 
within  the  Community  strategy,  to  formulate  national  programmes 
including  strategies  and  targets  for  limiting  their  C 02  emissions 
as  well  as  national  programmes  for  limiting  other  greenhouse  gases 
emissions. 

In  addition  the  Commission  is  required  by  the  Council  to  make  an 
assessment  of  national  action  taken  as  a  whole  in  relation  to  the 
overall  Community  stabilization objective. 

5.  On  the  basis  of  the  expressed  political  commitments,  the  Commission 
submits  this  proposal  for  a  Decision  for  a monitoring  mechanism  of 
Community  C02  and progressively other greenhouse gas emissions. 

The main  purpose of  this proposal  is to ensure at Community  level  as 
appropriate  the  achievement  of  the  stabilization  of  C02  emissions 
by  the  year  2000  at  their  1990  level  and  the  limitation  of  other 
greenhouse  gas  emissions.  This  will  be  done  through  the  evaluation 
of Community  and national  actions. 

The proposal  is based on  four  key  elements;  the national  programmes 
that  should be drawn up by the Member  States-, their evaluat ion by the 
Commission  in  the  light  of  the  EC  stabilization  agreement;  the 
follow-up  of  the  national  programme  implementation  through  a  data 
reporting  system  and  the  establishment  of  an  inventory  concerning 
greenhouse  gas  emissions;  and  taking  into  account  the  equitable 
burden shar ing. 

Apart  from that  the proposal  has a special  provision  for  the setting-
up of a Consultative Committee of Member  States representatives. 

-  2 -

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN  COMMUNITIES, 

Having  regard^to  the  Treaty  establishing  the  European  Economic 
Community,  and  in particular  Article  130s thereof. 

Having regard  to the proposal  of  the Commission. 

Having  regard  to the opinion of  the European Parliaments  ) 

Having  regard  to  the  opinion  of  the  Economic  and  Social 
Committee.(  ) 

Whereas  the  1973<1>,  1977<2>,  1983<3>  European  Communities 
action  programmes  on  the environment  stress  the  importance  of  the 
reduction  and  prevention  of  atmospheric  pollution, and  in addition 
the  1987<4)  action  programme  emphasizes  the  importance  for 
Community  action  to  concentrate  as  a  priority  on  the  reduction  at 
source of  air pollution; 

Whereas  the Council  Resolution  of  16 September  1986(5) calls  for a 
search  for  balanced  solutions  as  regards  energy  and  the 
env i ronment; 

Whereas  the  European  Council  of  21  June  1989( 6)  declares  that  the 
Community  and  its  Member  States  should  take  proper  account  in 
future  policy  decision  of  the problem of  potential  climatic  change 
linked to the greenhouse effect; 

Whereas  the European Council  held at  Dublin  in June  1990 urged  for 
the  adoption  as  soon  as  possible  of  targets  and  strategies  for 
limiting emissions of greenhouse gases; 

Whereas  the  Council  of  Energy  and  Environment  Ministers  agreed  at 
their  meeting  on  29  October  1990  that  the  Community  as  a  whole 
should  stabilize  C 02  emissions  in  general  by  the  year  2000  at 
1990 level; 

Whereas  C 02  emissions  arise  primarily  from  the  burning  of  fossil 
fueIs; 

Whereas  the  Commission  has  underlined,  in  the  framework  of  a 
Community  Strategy  to  limit  carbon dioxide emissions and  to  improve 
energy  ef f iciency(7),  the need  to set  up  a mechanism  of  monitoring 
and evaluation,  in order  to ensure  that  the Community  stabilization 
target  is met  for  the year 2000; 

Whereas  the  Council  of  Energy  and  Environment  Ministers  at  their 
meeting  on  13  December  1991  invited  the  Commission  to  propose 
concrete measures  arising  from  the Community  strategy  and  required 
that  such  measures  should  take  into  account  the  concept  of 
equitable burden sharing-, 

(1) O.J. No. C  112, 20.12.1973, p. 1 
C. 139. 13.06.1977. p. 
(2) O.J. No. 
C 46, 17.02.1983. p. 1 
(3) O.J. No. 
C. 328, 7.12.1987, p. 1 
(4) O.J. No. 
C 241/1, 25.09.1986 
(5) O.J. No. 
C  183/4. 20.07.1989 
(6) O.J. No. 
(7) SEC (91) 1744 Final, 14.10.1989 

-  3 -

Whereas Member  States need  to develop national  gross energy  related 
C 02  emission  objectives,  in  order  to  ensure  the  achievement  of 
the Community  stabilization target; 

»•»» 

Whereas  the  Commission  needs  to  evaluate  whether  through  the 
national  emission  objectives  and  their  evolution  the  Community 
stabilization  target  will  be  achieved; 

Whereas  such  monitoring  and  evaluation  should  be  integrated  as 
closely as possible  in the existing  reviews of energy programmes of 
Member  States,  as  mentioned  in  the  Council  resolution  concerning 
new Community  energy  policy objectives for  1995( 8 ); 

Whereas  the Commission may propose additional  Community  or  national 
actions  for  the achievement  of  the Community  stabilization  target, 
for which  a simplified procedure should  apply. 

(8) Resolution 86/C 241/01 of  16.09.1986 

-  A 

-

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION: 

Article 1 

EC MONITORING MECHANISM 

This  Decision  establishes  a  monitoring  mechanism  of  C 02  emissions  in 
the  Member  States,  in  order  to  ensure  at  Community  level  the 
achievement  of  the  stabilization  of  C02  emissions  by  the  year  2000 at 
their  1990  level  and  provide  for  the  progressive  establishment  of  a 
monitoring mechanism  for other greenhouse gases as policies with  regard 
to these develop. 

-  5 -

Article 2 

DEFINITIONS 

For  the purpose of  this Decision: 

a  . "COg emission" means: 

b  . "Community  COg stabilization 

target" means: 

c  . "national COg emissions 
ob Iect i ves" means: 

The  discharge  of  C 02  into  the 
atmosphere  resulting  from  the 
burning of fuels. 

The  stabilization  of  the  total 
C02  emissions  by  2000  at  1990 
levels  in  the  Community  as  a 
who Ie. 

is 

expected 

The  maximum  quantity  of  C02 
that 
be 
discharged  into  the  atmosphere 
during  a  calendar  year,  by  a 
Member  State,  according  to  the 
provisions  of 
national 
programme. 

the 

to 

d.  "national  programme" means 

all  the  measures  envisaged  or 
already  taken  at  a  national 
level  to  reduce  C 02  emissions, 
and  to  limit  other  greenhouse 
gas emissions. 

e.  "other greenhouse gas 

emissions" means: 

of 

oxide, 

discharge 

methane, 
The 
nitrous 
halocarbons, 
tropospheric  ozone  precursors 
nitrogen 
monoxide. 
(carbon 
organic 
volatile 
oxides, 
compounds)  into  the  atmosphere 
from all  human activities. 

-  6 -

Article 3 

NATIONAL  PROGRAMMES 

I.  National COg emissions programmes 

a.  The  Member  States  shall  draw  up  national 

C 02  emissions 
programmes,  including  strategies  and  national  C 02  emissions 
objectives  for  limiting  their  C 02  emissions,  in  order  to 
contribute  to  the  achievement  of  the  Community  C 02  stabilization 
target. 

b.  The  Member  States  shall  establish  and  communicate  to  the 
Commission,  before  the  end  of  1994,  national  C 02  emissions 
objectives covering  the years 1996, 1998 and  2000. 

c.  The national  programmes shall  comprise as far as possible : 

-  the  use  of  national  instruments  and  actions  aiming  at 

Increasing energy efficiency and conservation; 

-  the  use  of  national  instruments  and  actions  aiming  at  fuel 

switching towards  low or no-carbon containing  fuels; 

-  the  implementation  of  possible  Community  legislation  and 

policy,  including economic and fiscal  instruments; 

-  an assessment of  the economic  impact of  the above measures-, 

11. Additional national  programmes 

Member  States  shall  also  report  on  policies  and  measures  in 
order  to  increase  the  sequestration  of  C 02  emissions  and  on 
actions  taken  to  limit  the emissions of other  greenhouse  gases 
(apart  from C 02),  and evaluate  the  impact of  these measures. 

- 7 -

Article 4 

FIRST EVALUATION OP NATIONAL  PROGRAMMES 

I.  REPORTING AND  EVALUATION 

a.  Member  States  shall  forward  to  the  Commission  the  national 
programmes  described  in  Article  3  to  start  one  year  after  the 
entry  into force of  this Decision. 

b.  The  Commission  shall  forward  to  the  other  Member  States  the 
national  programmes  received  within  three  months  of  their 
reception. 

c.  The Commission  shall  evaluate  these  programmes  in order  to examine 
whether  they,  in  conjunction  with  the  Community  action,  secure 
compliance  with  the  Community  C02  stabilization  target,  and  as 
appropriate  the  limitation of other  greenhouse gases. 

d.  The  Commission  shall  report  to  the  Council  and  the  European 
Parliament  the results of  its assessment  of  the national  programmes 
in  relation  to  the  overall  Community  C02  stabilization  target 
and,  as  appropriate,  the  limitation  of  other  greenhouse  gases 
within 6 months after  the reception of  the programmes. 

II. ADDITIONAL  MEASURES 

Depending  on  the  results of  the evaluation  the Commission  may,  if 
necessary,  and  with  due  regard  to  burden  sharing,  make  all 
appropriate  proposals  for  required  additional  actions  with  a  view 
to  ensuring  the  attainment  of  the  Community's  C02  stabilization 
target  and  the  limitation  of  other  greenhouse  gas  emissions.  The 
Council  shall  take  a  decision  on  these  proposals  by  qualified 
majority  after  consulting  the European  Parliament  and  the  Economic 
and Social  Committee. 

- 8 -

Art icle 5 

INVENTORY AND DATA-REPORTING 

a.  With  the  entry  into  force  of  this  Decision,  Member  States  will 
report  to  the  Commission  their  1990  base  year  C 02  emissions  on 
the basis of  fuel  consumption  statistics  and  Community  wide  agreed 
C02  emissions  factors. 

b.  The  Commission  in  cooperation  with  the  Member  States  shall 
establish  an  inventory  of  C02  and  other  greenhouse  gas  emissions 
in  the  Community.  It  will  be  developed  on  the  basis  of  existing 
Community  and  Member  State  inventories  and  take  into  account 
progress made on  international methods  for emissions  accounting. 

c.  The procedures  and methods  for  the development of  the  inventory  for 
estimating  and  reporting  C02  emissions  shall  be  determined  by  the 
Commission  in accordance  with  the procedure  referred  to  in Article 
8. 

d.  Member  States  shall  each  year,  not  later  than  (31  July)  (from 
19..),  report  to  the Commission  the  data  concerning  C 02  emissions 
of  the  previous  year  and  emissions  of  other  greenhouse  gases,  as 
reliable data  and methodology  become available. 

e.  The  Commission  shall  establish  within  6  months  of  reception  a 
comprehensive  report  of  the  data  to  be  transmitted  to  the  Member 
States. 

f.  Member  States  shall  submit  to  the  Commission  each  year  all 
appropriate  information  about  the  implementation  of  the  national 
programmes,  including  costs,  and  inform  the  Commission  at  the 
earliest  opportunity  of  any  substantcial  alteration  in  their 
national  programmes. 

- 9 -

Article 6 

EVALUATION OF PROGRESS  IN  IMPLEMENTATION  OF NATIONAL  PROGRAMMES 

a.  The  Commission  shall  establish  procedures  and  methods  for  the 
evaluation  of  the  progress  made  in  the  implementation  of  the 
national  programmes  in accordance with  the procedure  referred  to in 
Article 8. 

This  evaluation  will  be  made  primarily 
received under  Article 3 and article 5. 

on  the  basis  of  data 

The  Commission  shall  report  every  three  years  on  its  own 
responsablIity  in  the  light  of  the  information  received  under 
Article  3 and  5  to  the Council  and  the  European  Parliament  on  the 
state of application of  this Decision.  This report  shall  address a 
survey of  the progress made and problems encountered  in each  Member 
State and  in the Community  as a whole. 

-  10 -

Article  7 

COg EMISSION MONITORING AND NATIONAL  ENERGY POLICIES REVIEW 

The  data  reporting  as  deeribed  in  Article  5,  as  well  as  the  actions 
foreseen  under  Articles  4  and  6  shall  be  integrated  as  closely  as 
possible  to  the  review  process  of  national  energy  policies  as  defined 
in Council  Resolution 86/C 241/01 of  16 September  1986. 

\ 

-  11 -

Article 8 

CONSULTATIVE  COMMITTEE 

1.  The  Commission  shall  be  assisted  by  a  committee  of  an  advisory 
nature composed of  representatives of  the Member  States and  chaired 
by a representative of  the Commission. 

2.  The  representative of  the Commission  shall  submit  to  the  committee 
a  draft  of  the measures  to be  taken.  The  committee  shall  deliver 
Its opinion on  the draft within a time  limit which  the chairman may 
lay  down  according  to  the urgency  of  the  matter,  if  necessary  by 
taking a vote. 

3.  The  opinion  shall  be  recorded  in  the  minutes;  in  addition,  each 
Member  State  shall  have  the  right  to  ask  to  have  its  position 
recorded  in the minutes. 

4.  The  Commission  shall  take  the  utmost  account  of  the  opinion 
delivered  by  the  committee.  It shall  inform  the  committee  of  the 
manner  in which  its opinion has been  taken  into account. 

- 12 -

Art icle 9 

This Decision  is addressed to the Member States 

Done at ... 

For the Counci 

ISSN 0254-1475 

COM(92) 181 final 

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