WRITTEN QUESTION E-0619/02 by María Sornosa Martínez (PSE) to the Commission. Incompatibility of the Spanish government's nuclear power policy with the Kyoto agreements.
Date: 2002-03-06
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU environmental policy, Spain, competence of the Member States, energy policy, environmental law, pollution control measures, power plant, reduction of gas emissions

29.8.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 205 E/175

Answer given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission

(24 April 2002)

The Commission can confirm that the complaint registered as 2001/4904 is now being examined,
together with other dossiers on the same subject.

As the examination is in progress, there has not so far been any exchange of correspondence with the
national authorities.

(2002/C 205 E/187)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0619/02

by María Sornosa Martínez (PSE) to the Commission

(6 March 2002)

Subject: Incompatibility of the Spanish government’s nuclear power policy with the Kyoto agreements

The Spanish government, which currently occupies the EU presidency, has now approved an environ-
mental impact assessment concerning the creation of 22 new nuclear power stations within its territory. In
addition, the construction of another 49 such stations has been announced, entailing an extra 31 000 to
36 000 megawatts of power and additional emissions of 108 to 125 million tonnes of CO2 per annum.

In this connection, particular attention needs to be drawn to the case, as denounced by Greenpeace, of the
planned extension of the Endesa power station in Carboneras (Almería province), which, if it goes ahead,
would raise its power level as high as 1 859 to 1 959 megawatts and make it Spain’s biggest producer of
CO2 emissions, to a maximum exceeding 14 million tonnes per annum.

Does the Commission consider these plans for extending and constructing nuclear power stations to be
consistent and compatible with the ratification of the Kyoto Protocol and its targets for reducing CO2
emissions?

Will the Commission make representations to the Spanish government, the current occupant of the EU’s
six-month presidency, to ask it to reconsider its existing policy on nuclear power stations and bring it into
line with the targets of the Protocol?

Answer given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission

(16 April 2002)

The choice of sources of energy supply is the competence of Member States.

Member States also decide how to meet the politically agreed emission reduction targets. Under certain
circumstances, new power plants may help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This may be for instance
the case, when new efficient power plants based on less carbon dioxide (CO2) intensive fuels (e.g. gas)
replace old inefficient coal-fired power plants, which are relatively CO2 intensive (also called fuel switch
effect). It should be noted that under Community legislation relating to large combustion plants (1), power
plants have to meet emission standards in relation to emissions of e.g. sulphur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen
oxides (NOX). Measures on the supply side are, however, unlikely to be sufficient to achieve agreed
emission targets. Demand side measures such as increased energy efficiency are also essential.

Council Decision 1999/296/EC amending Decision 93/389/EEC (2) for a monitoring mechanism establishes
a continuous surveillance of Community CO2 and other greenhouse gas emissions.

C 205 E/176

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

29.8.2002

This decision obliges the Member States to report their greenhouse gas emissions and their policies and
measures annually to the Commission. It requests the Commission to assess these data and to submit
annual progress reports on the actual and projected progress of Member States.

The latest assessment of progress at Member State and European level can be found in the annual
Greenhouse Gas Monitoring Report (3) published by the Commission in November 2001. Spain as the fifth
largest emitter in the EU accounts for 9 % of total EC GHG emissions and increased emissions by more
than 20 % between 1990 and 1999. Significant additional effort would seem to be necessary in order for
Spain to remain within its EU burden-sharing target under the Kyoto Protocol of + 15 % during the Kyoto
commitment period 2008-2012.

To enable the Community to meet the agreed greenhouse gas reduction targets, the Commission not only
calls for the development and implementation of national climate change policies and measures, but has
complemented these by concrete proposals for policies and measures at European Union level.

(1) OJ L 309, 27.11.2001 Directive 2001/80/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2001

on the limitations of emissions of certain pollutants into the air from large combustion plants.

(2) OJ L 117, 5.5.1999.
(3) Report from the Commission to the Parliament and the Council under Council Decision 93/389/EEC as amended by
Decision 1999/296/EC for a monitoring mechanism of Community greenhouse gas emissions, COM(2001) 708
final.

(2002/C 205 E/188)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0621/02

by Ilda Figueiredo (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(6 March 2002)

Subject: Jurassic museum at Lourinha

Western Portugal, in particular the municipality of Lourinha, has important remains of representatives of
fish and invertebrates going back
the major groups of dinosaurs, as well as of crocodiles,
150 million years.

turtles,

The Lourinha Museum is at present very small, considering the extraordinary cultural and scientific
significance of its exhibits. This has prompted the scientific community, with various forms of local
support,
to promote the idea of executing in the near future an ambitious multicultural project,
incorporating a new museum and an area covering a variety of activities, including scientific research,
cultural information, teaching, leisure activities and entertainment.

This active commitment on the part of various institutions and people has made it possible to make
available a vast area of thirty-two hectares, situated near the village of Lourinha and, thanks to the
creativity of a team of architects, an architectural project has been drawn up of enormous scientific,
cultural and educational importance for Portugal, the region and Lourinha, at an estimated cost of EUR 20
million.

Can the Commission say whether it considers it possible to fund this important cultural initiative?

Answer given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission

(19 April 2002)

The Commission has negotiated with the Portuguese authorities the operational programme for culture for
the 2000-2006 programming period. This includes measures for the modernisation and upgrading of
national museums and for the preservation and restoration of historical and cultural sites.