Introduction The European Climate and Energy Package Adoption of key Resolutions Creation of the CLIM Committee Main Political Parties and Climate Change	© Flickr	Forum
The 2004 - 2009 Mandate

Introduction

A number of key legislative texts have been agreed upon by the Parliament during its mandate, and a lot of wider environmental measures have been taken to try to find a solution to climate change. Among the most recent milestones that marked the period and the eCommittee project in particular, are:

The European Climate and Energy Package

 The climate package adopted by the EU in December 2008 will facilitate reaching the overall objective of a 20% reduction in greenhouse gases, 20% improvement in energy efficiency, and a 20% share for renewables in the EU energy mix by 2020. MEPs also set ambitious goals for CO2 emissions from cars and required fuel suppliers to reduce greenhouse gas emissions caused by extraction or cultivation, transport and distribution, processing and combustion of transport fuels.  

Reducing emissions from road transport and other sectors

20% renewable energy in the EU's energy mix by 2020

Reducing CO2 emissions from new cars

Less greenhouse gas emissions from fuels

CO2 caps on airlines

Equipping power plants to store CO2 underground

Adoption of Key Resolutions

The overall objective is to limit global warming to limit the average global temperature increase to 2°C above pre-industrialisation levels and to undertake emission reductions of 30% in comparison with 1990 emissions levels by 2020 with a view to achieving a reduction in the order of 80% by 2050.

The European Parliament adopted in February 2007 a political resolution for:

• a binding 30% reduction of CO2 emissions by 2020;
• a binding target of 25% renewable energy by 2020;
• political efforts to bring the US, China, India, Russia and others on board;
• an EU energy policy with solidarity for all Member States;
• a call on the Commission and the Member States to present quickly proposals for a post-Kyoto regime (= post 2012) that are consistent with the EU’s long-term objective (maintaining the average global temperature increase below 2°C above pre-industrialisation levels) and proposals based on eco-innovation and development of environmental technologies; and
• a call on the Commission to set ambitious but realistic targets for ultra-low or non-CO2-emitting and CO2-neutral energy technologies to supply 60% of EU electricity demand by 2020.

Shortly after, the Spring European Council in March 2007 followed by highlighting two political targets:

• one on climate change to reduce greenhouse gases by at least 20% by 2020, compared to 1990 levels as an independent EU commitment, plus a commitment to extend this reduction to 30% if other developed countries commit themselves to comparable emissions reductions. Each Member State will contribute to these cuts through national targets to be set out in future Community legislation.
• one on renewable energy for a binding target of 20% by 2020 with a minimum of 10% for the share of biofuels in overall EU transport petrol and diesel consumption.

Creation of the CLIM Temporary Committee on Climate Change

The CLIM Committee produced two reports in 2008:

- in April 2008: Draft Interim Report on the scientific facts of Climate Change: Findings and recommendations for decision-making. Read
- in December 2008: Report on "2050: The future begins today - Recommendations for the EU´s future integrated policy on climate change". Read


Adoption of Key Resolutions

The European Parliament adopted in 2007 a Resolution on:

- In November 15th 2007: resolution on on 'Limiting global climate change to 2 degrees Celsius – the way ahead for the Bali Conference on Climate Change and beyond'

- In 31st January 2008: resolution on 'The Outcome of the Bali Conference on Climate Change' (COP 13 and COP/MOP 3).

- On 10th April 2008: resolution on the Commission Green Paper on 'Adapting to climate change in Europe – options for EU action' (COM(2007)0354)4

- On 21st October 2008, resolution on 'Building a Climate Change Alliance between the European Union and poor developing countries most vulnerable to
climate change'

Main Political Groups and Climate Change

The fight against climate change has become a challenge for all the political groups in the European Parliament over this period. During the interactive session of March 17th 2009, we will ask the political leaders of the four main political groups how they perceive the work done during the 2004-2009 mandate. This short presentation gives an overview of how these groups apprehend climate change.

EPP-ED

The main priorities for the EPP-ED Group in the European Parliament are:

'Maintaining the EU’s international leadership on climate change and promoting climate change dialogues with international partners; Leading and setting priorities in the debate on the post-2012 climate policy; Stressing Research and Development on climate change friendly technologies, taking into account the important role SMEs play in this area; Progress on the implementation of the EU emissions trading scheme including emissions from international flights into the ETS and the assessment of national allocation plans'. More

The EPP-ED Group refers to the broad concept of sustainable development to refer to climate change as one of the priority over the 2004-2009 mandate. See 'Sustainable development: build for the future' here

The Chairman of the EEP-ED Group is the French Joseph Daul.

Greens

The campaign on climate change is one of the high priority item on the Greens Agenda. The 'Stop Climate Change. Play your part' campaign takes the pulse of the climate change agenda in the European Parliament and in the international negotiations. Declarations by Green MEPs include a statement by German MEP Rebecca Harms on the legislation on CO2 and Cars and one of MEP Caroline Lucas on a fair and equitable global climate deal. Watch the videos here

The Greens Group is co-presided by Monica Frassoni (Italy) and Daniel Cohn-Bendit (Germany). 

Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe

The ALDE Group places the protection of the environment in its 10 Political Priorities list and pushes the EU to a leader position in a new international regime.

The ALDE Group endorsed the Climate Package. They however would have liked to have a more ambitious package. Swedish MEP Lena Ek who authored the ITRE Committee opinion on emissions trading said: "Finally we have this package. In a period where we have to go through an economic crisis this package is a win-win situation. The green investments will create jobs and give our industry a lead.  By adopting this set of measures we have confirmed Europe's leadership in tackling global warming. We have created a framework which is less bureaucratic and more transparent. Of course we would liked to have taken it further, but we should be happy that 27 Member States have reached an agreement. Rejecting this compromise is no option, since it would leave us with empty hands in Copenhagen next year."

The Group Leader Graham Watson welcomed the coherence of the Package, and pushed for a special financial support to Carbon Capture and Storage. Read

UK MEP Chris Davies is the Rapporteur of the Parliament text on CCS.

See the list of ALDE MEP members of the ENVI Committee

The Socialist Group

The PSE Group set up a climate change task force in January 2007 chaired by MEP Linda Mc Avan. The taskforce covers policy areas that have an impact on climate change, such as energy, industry, transport, agriculture and development policy. The job of the taskforce is to ensure coherence in the group's policy making in all its different work areas. The taskforce designs clear policy guidelines and strategies of action. In November 2007, the Group released its resolution on Climate Change 'Combating Climate Change from a Planetary Emergency to a Global Opportunity'. Read the resolution here

The PSE Group sees the Climate and Energy Package as a major sign of the EU leadership in climate change globally. MEP Linda Mc Avan who led the Socialist delegation in the talks with EU governments to struck the Package said : “The European Union is a world leader today. This is the first time a group of countries has agreed on such complex measures. The deal we have reached will allow us to fight climate change effectively. These measures decided on today will make all the difference. I am confident that the full European Parliament will now support what we have achieved after long and difficult negotiations.”

See PSE Members of the CLIM Temporary Committee

The PSE group was the initiator of the CLIM Temporary Committee, which is chaired by the Italian Socialist MEP Guido Sacconi.

Watch the eCommittee video of Mr Sacconi here

MEP Martin Schultz is the President of the PSE Group.

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Sources: European Parliament Website, Euractiv, Eur-Lex, EPP-ED Website, ALDE Website, Greens Website, PSE Website