Summary: 17 December 2008, Strasbourg - Speech by Stavros DIMAS, Commissioner responsible for environment, "Europe is the first region in the world with tangible commitments to fighting climate change" at the European Parliament vote on the Climate and Energy Package
Ladies and gentlemen,
In January we promised a climate package, designed to effectively contribute to fighting global warming! Today, we delivered. European policy makers have stood up to the challenge of making Europe the first region in the world with tangible commitments to fighting climate change, thus setting the pace for other countries and regions to follow. Today's parliamentary vote marks Europe's commitment to put in place the concrete measures necessary to meet our ambitious climate targets.
The mechanisms are now in place, so we really will deliver a 20% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, a 20% share for renewable energy, and a 20% boost to energy efficiency. The package is a blueprint to transform Europe into a low-carbon economy.
The package consists of a series of legal instruments which will contribute to further significant reductions of emissions in Europe. The EU is on course to meet its Kyoto targets, has a working ETS, drives the CDM market and invests heavily in research.
By adopting this package and with a large majority we are sending a clear signal to the world about our commitment to tackle climate change. The package will reinforce our ETS and enable it to serve as a nucleus for a global carbon market. The adoption of binding targets for emissions from sectors not covered by the ETS ensures all sectors will contribute to our objectives. And the package will also be instrumental in transferring technology to third countries so as to enable the developing
countries to start reducing their emissions, too.
Another great achievement today is the first reading agreement on the regulation on CO2 reductions from passenger cars. This legislation is an important complement to the package as it will deliver about one third of the emissions reductions required in the non-ETS sectors. The decision today differs from the original commission proposal in that it allows for a longer phasing-in period. However, the overall ambition level for 2020 is maintained due to the introduction of a new stringent
long-term target of 95 g/km, compared to the observed 160 g/km today and the 130 g/km target for 2012.
In addition to the new car legislation, parliament also supported an agreement on the Fuel Quality Directive. This directive introduces an obligation to reduce greenhouse gases in the whole fuel production chain by 6% by 2020. A review in 2012 will consider increasing the ambition level to 10% greenhouse gas reductions (by 2020, through international projects, carbon capture and storage as well as electricity for cars.)
It is clear that Europe is leading the fight against climate change. But while we are leading, we do not want to lead alone. We hope that the steps that we have taken will encourage others to take similar steps. There are already encouraging signs from countries such as United States, Australia and Japan, which are developing emissions' trading systems and commitments to making meaningful CO2 reductions. These developments bode well for an agreement in Copenhagen next December.
Meanwhile, however, Europe should not rest on its laurels. We have after all committed ourselves to 30 per cent reductions in case of an international agreement.
Twenty percent is a good start, but in the future we will need targets that are far more ambitious. That is why the package contains a clear offer to go further and commit to a 30% cut. We have every intention of making sure that happens.
This agreement is the result of the hard work and determination of Commission, the Parliament and the Council to enable an ambitious agreement to be reached which is acceptable to all 27 Member States. This is a very significant achievement and demonstrates how, when the will is there, effective international cooperation can deliver the agreements the world needs.
Ladies and gentlemen, let us not underestimate what has happened today. In a time of tremendous economic uncertainty, Europe has made a bold commitment to transform its structure and fight climate change. This is history in the making.
Thank you.
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