WRITTEN QUESTION No. 3776/98 by Anna KARAMANOU to the Commission. Outcome of the Buenos Aires environment conference and EU measures to implement the Kyoto Protocol
Date: 1998-12-11
Institutions: European Parliament, KARAMANOU
Subjects: air quality, climate change, energy-generating product, environmental protection, fiscal policy, greenhouse gas

C 207/128

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

21.7.1999

(1999/C 207/174)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3776/98

by Anna Karamanou (PSE) to the Commission

(11 December 1998)

Subject: Outcome of the Buenos Aires environment conference and EU measures to implement the Kyoto

Protocol

The outcome of the latest world conference on the environment in Buenos Aires was not particularly
encouraging; on a proposal from the USA, the famous ‘flexible mechanisms’ were adopted allowing the big
polluters (the USA accounts for 1/4 of all pollutants on a world scale) to comply marginally with the terms of
the Kyoto agreement, which calls on the industrialised countries to reduce their emissions of environmentally
harmful gases between the years 2008 and 2012 to 5,2 % lower than 1990 levels.

In what ways will the Commission intervene to ensure that the Kyoto Protocol is implemented as quickly as
possible in view of the fact that ecosystems are being rapidly destroyed and 40 % of deaths worldwide are
attributable to environmental pollution and climate change?

Answer given by Mrs Bjerregaard on behalf of the Commission

(5 February 1999)

The Commission is of the opinion that the fourth Conference of the parties to the United Nations framework
convention on climate change, held in Buenos Aires from 2-13 November 1998, was successful in that a plan
of action was adopted, setting out a work programme for the resolution of ‘unfinished business’ of the Kyoto
Protocol and outstanding Convention issues. By adopting this plan of action the political momentum is
maintained and the negotiations in Buenos Aires may be seen, therefore, as a useful and very necessary step
forward in the implementation of the Kyoto Protocol.

The European Council in Vienna welcomed the Buenos Aires plan of action and underlined the importance of
its implementation for an early ratification of the Kyoto Protocol. The European Council further concluded
that a comprehensive Community strategy on climate policy should be considered at its meeting in Cologne
on the basis of a report by the Commission.

The Commission intends to produce a communication in time for the Cologne European Council. This
communication will concentrate on elements that are considered essential for the Community to achieve its
Kyoto commitment and to prepare for ratification of the Protocol. The Commission is convinced of the need to
act now, through policies and measures both at national and at Community level, if the Community target of a
8 % reduction of greenhouse gas emissions compared to 1990 levels is to be achieved by the year 2012. The
communication will also address what preparatory steps can be taken in order to implement the Kyoto
Protocol’s flexible mechanisms.

In this context, the integration of climate change concerns into other policy areas is of utmost importance. At
Community level, a number of proposals that could contribute to this reduction, for example the proposal for
a directive restructuring the Community framework for the taxation of energy products (1), are currently under
consideration by the Community institutions.

(1) COM(97) 30 final.

(1999/C 207/175)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3780/98

by Manuel Escolá Hernando (ARE) to the Commission

(11 December 1998)

Subject: Slump in the pigmeat sector

As part of the measures adopted by the European Union to confront the slump in the pigmeat sector, the
Commission has approved the provision of 100 000 tonnes of pigmeat in food aid to Russia.