WRITTEN QUESTION P-2182/99 by Jorge Moreira Da Silva (PPE-DE) to the Commission. CO2 emissions in Portugal.
Date: 1999-11-19
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Portugal, climate change, greenhouse gas, reduction of gas emissions

8.8.2000

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 225 E/67

Does the Commission believe that these decisions are compatible with the protection which is intended to
be conferred on the area by including it in the Natura 2000 network? Does not this project nullify the
effects of the Community funds provided through LIFE-Natura for the purpose of promoting sustainable
development in the area? Have the requirements stemming from the directives on environmental impact
assessment been complied with, especially in the light of the above-mentioned judgment of the Court of
Justice? Are projects scheduled in that Programme Agreement co-funded by the Structural Funds? If so, to
what extent and for what measures specifically?

(1) OJ L 206, 22.7.1992, p. 7.
(2) OJ L 175, 5.7.1985, p. 40.
(3) OJ L 73, 14.3.1997, p. 5.
(4)

Judgment of 16.9.1999 in Case C-435/97.

Answer given by Mrs Wallstr(cid:246)m on behalf of the Commission

(20 January 2000)

The case, to which the Honourable Member refers, has already been drawn to the attention of the
Commission. It concerns a project for the construction of a holiday village which is argued to be within
the scope of Council Directive 85/337/EEC of 27 June 1985 on the assessment of the effects of certain
public and private projects on the environment and to have a significant effect on certain proposed sites of
Community interest (pSCI, under Council Directive 92/43/EEC of 21 May 1992 on the conservation of
natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora), and special protection areas (SPA, under Council Directive
79/409/EEC of 2 April 1979 on the conservation of wild birds (1)).

The Commission is waiting for the written and detailed information requested from the Italian authorities.
This information is necessary in order to assess the case. The Commission will take the appropriate steps
in order to ensure the observance of Community law.

The project is not the subject of a co-financing arrangement under the structural funds.

(1) OJ L 103, 25.4.1979.

(2000/C 225 E/067)

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;

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Official Journal of the European Communities

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8.8.2000

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 Wallstr(cid:246)m 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 (cid:129) the so-called (cid:145)burden sharing(cid:146) (cid:129) 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(cid:146)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
the
their commitments under the UNFCC convention,
requirements of the Kyoto protocol.

taking into account

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.