Summary: March 16, 2004: European Parliament - Kyoto in action: MEP's support new measures on climate change
Two important and controversial votes took place on Tuesday in the Environment Committee, both relating to climate change and the Kyoto Protocol. The first vote brought good news to European industry by bringing the starting date of the "linking directive" forward to January 2005 from 2008. This will enable industry to take advantage of projects to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in, for example, developing countries right from the start of the EU emissions trading scheme. The second vote on
phasing out of fluorinated gases - the other greenhouse gases included in Kyoto protocol - was even more controversial with more than 270 amendments tabled to the Commission proposal. The committee decided to delete a contentious provision in the Commission's text to allocate quotas to car manufacturers for the use of fluorinated gases in new vehicles.
Easing the pressure on European industry
The linking directive will help European industry to make earlier use of the Kyoto "flexible mechanisms": Joint Implementation (JI) and the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM). These allow Member States and industries to meet part of the Kyoto targets by reducing greenhouse gas emissions in other countries - developing countries or countries with economies in transition - at lower cost than at home.
The rapporteur for this directive, Alexander DE ROO (Greens/EFA, NL), emphasised that there was a strong likelihood of reaching a first-reading agreement with the Council before the end of Parliament's term. The key issues that remain controversial between the two sides are the introduction of a cap on the use of JIs and CDMs and the use of carbon sinks (i.e. forest plantations) and large hydroelectric plants. The Committee today backed a position on caps that would allow the Member States to
lay down limits themselves for the use of flexible mechanisms. On carbon sinks, MEPs backed the Commission in its plan to outlaw their use as JI and CDM. The rapporteur explained this position with a simple question: what would happen to the carbon credits if a forest plantation burnt down? The Environment Committee also wanted to exclude large hydroelectricity projects from the flexible mechanisms as they often have a devastating social or environmental impact.
No quotas for fluorinated gases in air-conditioned new cars
The draft regulation on fluorinated gases aims at reducing emissions of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), perfluorocarbons (PFCs) and sulphur hexafluoride, which are powerful greenhouse gases covered by the Kyoto Protocol. On the vexed question of quotas versus type approval for the use of fluorinated gases in new cars the committee supported its rapporteur Robert GOODWILL (EPP-ED, UK) and deleted the new quota system proposed by the Commission. Instead MEPs adopted an amendment introducing stricter
limits for fluorinated gases in car air conditioning from January 2009. The Commission proposed banning gases with a global warming potential higher than 150 from that date but MEPs want the limit tightened to 50.
16.3.2004 Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Consumer Protection
In the chair: Caroline JACKSON (EPP-ED, UK)
Procedure: Co-decision, first reading (both reports)
Plenary vote: de Roo, April; Goodwill, March II
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