Republished with permission of Environment Daily
http://www.environmentdaily.com
-------------------------
German parliament finally agrees lorry charging
Environment Daily 1186, 26/03/02
------------------------
Germany's two parliamentary houses have finally struck a deal over
government plans to charge lorries for using motorways, after the upper
house accepted a compromise proposal last Friday. The agreement opens
the way for charges averaging euros 0.15 per kilometre for domestic and
foreign lorries over 12 tonnes.
The law's passage through parliament stalled when the upper house
demanded changes. Differences between the two houses centred around
the state representatives' demands for variable tolls according to time
and place, and that lorries not designed to carry freight, such as
municipal vehicles, be exempted.
The government plans to spend half of the revenues improving Germany's
roads, and the other half expanding and improving the rail network and
waterways. The transport ministry also said that the tolls would
double the proportion foreign hauliers contributed towards the external
costs of freight traffic on German motorways to 20%.
A transport ministry spokesperson told environment Daily that there
were no more political hurdles to entry into force on 1 January 2003 of
the law, which was agreed by the German government last August (ED
16/08/02
http://www.environmentdaily.com/articles/index.cfm?action=article&ref=10432l).
The tendering process for supply of the hardware needed to collect the
tolls had been running in parallel, he added.
Germany's haulage association BGL has warned that the average toll of
euros 0.15 per kilometre will increase haulage costs by 12-18% and cost
the industry 100,000 jobs.
Text of Barcelona Summit conclusions
On Energy tax from paragraph 12:
[The European Council] asks the Council, in parallel with the agreement on the opening of the energy markets, to reach an agreement on the adoption of the energy tax directive by December 2002, bearing in mind the needs of professionals in the road-haulage industry;
On liberalisation of the energy market from paragraph 37:
37. In the field of energy the European Council:
-welcomes the first Commission report on the effective opening of the internal
market
for gas and electricity, agreed in Stockholm. It calls on the Commission to
update it
annually before every Spring European Council so that effective progress can
be
assessed;
-urges the Council and the European Parliament to adopt as early as possible
in 2002, the
pending proposals for the final stage of the market opening of electricity and
gas,
including:
=Freedom of choice of supplier for all European non-household consumers as of
2004 for electricity and for gas. This will amount to at least 60% of the total
market;?=In the light of experience and at a date before the Spring European
Council
in 2003, a decision on further measures taking into account the definition of
public service obligations, security of supply and in particular the protection
of
remote areas and of the most vulnerable groups in the population;
=Separation of transmission and distribution from production and supply;
=Non-discriminatory access for consumers and producers to the network, based
on
transparent and published tariffs;
=Establishment in every Member State of a regulatory function, within the
appropriate regulatory framework, with a view to ensuring in particular effective
control of the tariff-setting conditions;
-urges the Council to reach as early as possible in 2002 an agreement for a
tariff-setting
system for cross-border transactions in electricity, including congestion management,
based on the principles of non-discrimination, transparency and simplicity;
-agrees the target for Member States of a level of electricity interconnections
equivalent
to at least 10% of their installed production capacity by 2005. Financing requirements
should be met mainly by the enterprises involved;
-urges the adoption by December 2002 of the revision of the Guidelines and
accompanying financial rules on Trans-European Energy Networks (TEN), and notes
the intention of the Commission to present the report on the security of supplies
based
on the results of the debate generated by the Commission's Green Paper on Security
of
Energy Supplies, in view of its next meeting in Seville;
-invites the Commission and the Council to analyse at the Spring European Council
in 2006 the global performance of the European internal energy market, in particular
the
degree of transposition of the regulatory framework, and its effects on consumer
protection, infrastructure investments, effective integration of markets and
interconnections, competition and environment.
THE GREENS/EFA IN THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT
PRESS RELEASE - Strasbourg, 13 March 2002
Turmes Report on the European electricity market
Major Breakthrough for Creating
a Controlled and Fair Electricity Market
Today by adopting the Turmes Report, the European Parliament has agreed with
the Commission's proposal for the further opening of the market but has significantly
altered the balance in favour of small consumers and the environment.
"This is a giant step forward and shifts the balance of power away from
the large utilities towards a level playing field for all producers", said
Claude Turmes, the Green/EFA MEP from Luxembourg and the rapporteur of the liberalisation
of the electricity sector.
Despite heavy lobbying from big business the Parliament agreed to key proposals
to reform the energy sector, namely:
The Parliament addressed the existing distortions in the energy market. One
of the biggest successes of the vote is that Parliament has called for a ban
on the use of decommissioning funds - which should be set aside to enable the
final management of nuclear waste - for predatory activity in the electricity
market. This amendment was particularly aimed at French and German nuclear utilities,
who have become the dominant companies in Europe and have access to tens of
billions of Euro to acquire companies, which is a violation of EU competition
rules.
A key part of the directive is the Public Service Obligations which contain
the social requirements. The Parliament voted to require electricity suppliers
to disclose to final customers the fuel mix and the associated waste and emissions
of the electricity sold to final customers. By requiring companies to show consumers
on their bills and in advertising the sources and pollutants involved in the
producing electricity the Parliament has given consumers the opportunity to
make informed decisions about which companies will supply them with electricity.
The Parliament also increased the emphasis on security of supply, by removing
barriers for the building of small power plants, giving additional support to
energy efficiency and taking measures to avoid excessive market dominance by
a small number of big companies.
"While agreeing to the further opening of the market, the Parliament has
taken the necessary steps to establish clear rules to protect and inform small
consumers and to eliminate distortions favouring big companies," said Turmes.
DIE GRÜNEN/EFA IM EUROPÄISCHEN PARLAMENT
PRESSE INFORMATION - Srasbourg, 13 March 2002
Turmes-Bericht zur Stromliberalisierung
Ein entscheidender Durchbruch für einen kontrollierten und fairen europäischen
Strommarkt
In seinem heutigen Votum hat sich das Europäische Parlament dafür
ausgesprochen, den kleinen Verbrauchern und Produzenten mehr Rechte auf dem
liberalisierten europäischen Strommarkt einzuräumen. Die Information
der Verbraucher wird endlich voll gewährleistet und die Wettbewerbsverzerrungen
zugunsten der Nuklearindustrie werden ausgeräumt. Dies sind wesentliche
Errungenschaften des Parlaments gegenüber der Vorlage der EU-Kommission.
"Dies ist ein entscheidender Durchbruch in der europäischen Energiepolitik:
Endlich wird die Übermacht der europäischen Stromriesen gebrochen
und ein fairer Strommarkt geschaffen, der auch kleinen Stromanbietern bessere
Wettbewerbschancen einräumt", sagt Claude Turmes, Europaabgeordneter
von den Grünen/EFA und Berichterstatter der Stromliberalisierungsdirektive.
Das Parlament hat sich nicht vom Druck der grossen Konzerne in die Knie zwingen
lassen. Es hat in wesentlichen Punkten dem Turmes-Bericht zugestimmt und tritt
damit für eine klare und starke Regulierung des europäischen Strommarktes
ein:
- Die Rückstellungsfonds, die bei Atomkraftwerken zur Finanzierung der
Stillegung angelegt werden müssen, dürfen nur zu ihrem eigentlichen
Zweck verwendet werden. Dieser Änderungsvorschlag des Parlaments betrifft
vor allem die französischen und deutschen Stromanbieter, die diese finanziellen
Rücklagen in Höhe von mehreren Milliarden Euro genutzt haben, um in
grossem Stil andere Unternehmen aufzukaufen."Die Stadtwerke und Umweltverbände
in Deutschland haben dies während Jahrzehnten als entscheidende Wettbewerbsverzerrung
zugunsten der Nuklearindustrie angeprangert", betont Claude Turmes.
- Das Parlament spricht sich klar und deutlich dafür aus, dass die Stromverbraucher
über die Herkunft ihres Stroms, seine Zusammensetzung und seine Umweltbelastungen
informiert werden. Mit dieser Informationspflicht hat das Europaparlament einen
wichtigen Schritt zu mehr Verbraucherschutz gemacht: Stromanbieter werden damit
gezwungen, künftig bei der Werbung und dem Stromverkauf klar auf den Herkunft
des Stroms hinzuweisen. Dies gibt den Verbrauchern endlich das Recht, selbst
zu entscheiden, welche Energieträger sie unterstützen möchten
und welche nicht.
- Auch die volle Unabhängigkeit der Stromübertragungsnetze ist ein
grosser Schritt vorwärts. Bisher haben sich die Stromproduzenten über
die Kontrolle der Netze gegenüber Konkurrenz abgeschirmt.
***************************************************
Press Service of the Greens/EFA Group
in the European Parliament
Helmut Weixler
Head of Press Office
phone: 0032-2-284.4683
fax: 0032-2-284.4944
mobile phone: 0032-475-67 13 40
e-mail: hweixler@europarl.eu.int
website: www.greens-efa.org
-------------------------
"Alarming rise" in Spanish greenhouse gases
Environment Daily, 05/03/02
-------------------------
Spanish greenhouse gas emissions rose by almost six percentage points
above 1990 levels in 2000, to reach 29% above the Kyoto protocol
baseline, according to new figures. The rise almost certainly cements
Spain's unenviable position as the EU country furthest from meeting its
Kyoto protocol commitment to limit emissions
Compiled by national trade union confederation CCOO and the magazine
World Watch, the figures were released yesterday to coincide with the
EU environment council - chaired by Spain - at which ministers agreed
collective ratification of the Kyoto protocol
The report's authors describe the rise in 2000 as "alarming" and
criticise official institutions for hampering the release of emissions
data. No official figures for 2000 emissions have been released; a
spokesperson for the environment ministry said they would be available
"shortly".
EU agrees to ratify the Kyoto Protocol
Link to Environnment Council provisional conclusions, 4th March 2002 (in French) (when you get to this page, click on latest news)
Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) press release
-------------------------
EU gives green light to Kyoto ratification
Environment Daily, 04/03/02
-------------------------
EU environment ministers today unanimously adopted a legal instrument
obliging each member state to ratify the Kyoto protocol. The move
means governments have formally agreed to be bound by the global
climate accord. It sets in train an irreversible process that the EU
hopes will culminate with the protocol entering into force during this
autumn's world sustainability summit in Johannesburg.
Universally described today by ministers, the European Commission and
environmentalists as a "historic" decision, the adoption of the law,
proposed last October gives legal force to the EU's 1998 "burden-sharing"
agreement. This is
the mechanism through which the bloc is translating its collective
Kyoto commitment into requirements for each member state.
Before the EU can formally ratify the protocol by sending the
ratification instrument to the UN's New York headquarters, each member
state must receive clearance from its national parliament. Only four
are currently in this position, though Commission officials today said
they expected the rest to reach this point before the end of May.
Officials are also confident that Japan and Russia - the other main
industrialised country signatories to the protocol whose ratification
is needed as a minimum for it to enter force - will take a similar step
before Johannesburg.
Today's agreement also removes lingering doubts over the integrity of
the EU's burden-sharing pact after Denmark had called for an adjustment
to take into account its lower than normal emissions during 1990, the
protocol's base year for reduction calculations. The Danish government
had argued that its resulting target was unfairly tight.
Instead, the "Danish problem" has been deferred until 2006, when
Kyoto
emission reduction commitments, currently expressed as percentages, are
translated into maximum emission ceilings expressed as tonnes of carbon
dioxide equivalent. Denmark's concerns will be "taken into account"
at
this stage in the process, ministers said.
Today's ratification instrument was adopted on the EU treaty's
"environment" legal basis, requiring only a qualified majority for
approval. Though most member states had argued that the law concerned
energy policy and should have required unanimity, some were against.
Since to change the legal base would itself have required unanimity it
was therefore blocked.
The Commission and environmentalists had worried that changing the
legal base could provide a precedent for a similar change in other
climate-related proposals, such as emissions trading. This would be
likely to slow or even halt their adoption, they feared.
Back to CAN Europe latest news
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
EU honours commitment to early EU ratification of the Kyoto Protocol
Brussels, 4 March 2002
EU honours commitment to early EU ratification of the Kyoto Protocol
Today the Council of EU environment ministers adopted the Commission's proposal for a decision to ratify the Kyoto Protocol. The European Commission strongly welcomes this decision. By taking this decision, the EU has reaffirmed its commitment to pursuing multilateral solutions to issues of global concern. With its decision to ratify the protocol at EU level, the European Union stays true to its ambition to enable the Kyoto Protocol to come into force by the World Summit on Sustainable Development in August/September 2002. The decision also makes the Member States' greenhouse gas reduction commitments (the so-called "Burden-Sharing Agreement") agreed in June 1998 legally binding. The EU continues to call for the United States to participate in the global framework for addressing climate change.
The President of the European Commission Romano Prodi said: "Today is an historical moment for European efforts to combat climate change. I am very pleased that the Council has now approved the Kyoto Protocol thus enabling the EU to proceed with its ratification. I am confident that Member States will take the necessary steps in order to allow for a simultaneous ratification together with the European Community before 1 June 2002. Once again, the EU is exercising leadership in addressing this global environmental problem, as we have done in Bonn and Marrakech last year. We can only tackle climate change effectively through a multi-lateral process. I urge our partners both in the developed and in the developing countries to also ratify the Kyoto Protocol soon. We want the Protocol to enter into force before the World Summit on Sustainable Development this summer."
Environment Commissioner Margot Wallström stated: "This is indeed a good day for the climate and for sustainable development. The scientific evidence on climate change is stronger than ever. All countries have to act, but the industrialised countries have to take the lead. To protect our climate we will have to reduce emissions. We all know that even the targets in the Kyoto Protocol are only a first step if we want to prevent the severe consequences that climate change could have."
"Action to fight climate change is vital to achieve sustainable development, Mrs. Wallström added. I am convinced that improving the environment through technological progress can actually enhance our competitiveness and economic growth. This is what sustainable development is about: Protecting our eco-system while ensuring economic prosperity."
The Commissioner also stated that she was grateful for the strong support received from the European Parliament to secure timely EU ratification, and pleased with the confirmation by the candidate countries that they are on track to ratify. The Commissioner finally welcomed indications by Japan, New Zealand and Norway that they are preparing for ratification, and strongly called on others, notably Russia, to do the same.
"The fact that at least 25-30 industrialised countries are likely to ratify the Protocol within this year is a clear signal that the Kyoto Protocol, with its legally binding targets and timetables, is the only effective international framework for combating global warming."
Referring to President Bush's climate change plan for the US that he announced on 14 February the Commissioner noted: "These proposals will not lead to a reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in the United States but allow a significant increase. The EU has legally bound itself today to actually reduce its emissions. We continue to urge the United States to return to the Kyoto process."
The Commissioner concluded by stressing the need for further EU emission reduction measures: "The European Commission has already proposed measures to reduce emissions at the lowest economic cost, including an EC-wide emissions trading scheme to begin in 2005. Further proposals are in the pipeline. However, all Member States have to take their responsibility to ensure that they meet their burden-sharing targets."
Together with the Member States, the European Community's instrument of ratification
will now be deposited with the United Nations by 1st June, so as to enable the
entry into force of the Protocol by the World Summit on Sustainable Development
in Johannesburg this September.
Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS)
Press Release
8 March, 2002
AOSIS Reaction to European Union Decision to Ratify Kyoto
Protocol
For Immediate Release
New York (8 March, 200) - The Alliance of Small Island States
(AOSIS) strongly welcomes the decision by the Council of the
European Union Environment Ministers to ratify the Kyoto
Protocol. This decision made at the highest level by the
Governments of 15 industrialised countries reflects a serious and
credible response to the threat of global warming. The greenhouse
gas emissions reduction targets contained in the European
commitment, adding up to an 8% reduction from 1990 levels between
2008 and 2012, stands in stark contrast to the 14 February
announcement by the United States Administration of its Climate
Plan. The US Climate Plan, which rejects the Kyoto Protocol, is
likely to lead to a 30% increase in the greenhouse gas emissions
of the United States of America, adding substantially to
America's profile as the largest current and historical
contributor to the causes of global warming.
The science of climate change has advanced beyond the stage of
advising merely precautionary action. The science now tells us,
beyond doubt, that climate change is happening faster and to an
extent greater than previously expected. It also tells us that
its greatest impact will be on those who have the least capacity
to adapt to its effects. Most importantly, it tells us that
significant cuts in global greenhouse gas emissions are needed in
order to stop this threat to our planet.
The Kyoto Protocol, only a modest first step, provides a vital
tool to start this process. While deeper cuts are necessary and
discussions on how to achieve these cuts must start sooner rather
than later, it is essential that the Protocol enters into force
as soon as possible. The proposal presented by the President of
the United States on 14 February is not an alternative to the
Kyoto Protocol. It does not even meet the US obligations under
the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
(UNFCCC), which demands the stabilisation of CO2 emissions at
1990 levels by the year 2000. This is a commitment that all
developed countries that are a Party to the UNFCCC are required
to honour, including those that refuse to ratify the Kyoto
Protocol.
The Kyoto Protocol is a vital lifeline to the AOSIS countries. It
is certainly not perfect, but it is the only alternative. In
little over five months the world will gather at the World Summit
on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg. Ten years after the
adoption of the UNFCCC we have a responsibility to show that our
actions to tackle climate change reflect the increasingly urgent
warnings given to us by the global scientific community. The
European Union's ratification decision is a significant step in
this direction. AOSIS would like to strongly encourage other
countries, in particular the developed countries, to follow the
EU's example so that we can allow the Kyoto Protocol to enter
into force in September 2002.
For more information contact:
HE. Ambassador Tuiloma Neroni Slade
Chairman of Alliance of Small Island States
Permanent Mission of Samoa to the United Nations
800 Second Avenue, 4th Floor
New York, NY 10017, USA
Telephone (212) 599 6196
Fax (212) 599 0797
E-mail: samoa@un.int