Baltic and European news
Environment council set for climate tussle
2495, 29/02/08
Climate and energy issues will dominate debate as EU environment ministers meet for the first time under the Slovenian presidency of the EU on Monday.
Most of their time will be dedicated to preparing conclusions for a meeting of heads of government on 13-14 March. In addition, the ministers will hold their first debates on the European commission's climate and energy package and on proposals to cut CO2 emissions from cars (EED 23/01/08 http://www.endseuropedaily.com/24681 and EED 19/12/07 http://www.endseuropedaily.com/24532).
UN climate chief Yvo de Boer will join ministers for a lunchtime debate over how the EU climate package links to discussions on a post-2012 international climate treaty.
Ministers will adopt conclusions in preparation for a meeting of the UN biodiversity convention and a meeting of parties to the Cartagena protocol on bio-safety, both in Bonn in May. There are no legislative items on the agenda.
Climate and energy are expected to dominate the debate - behind closed doors - on conclusions for the spring council. Issues that are likely to be raised include changes in land use, carbon leakage, and carbon capture and storage.
Several member states are unhappy about the exclusion of changes in land use from proposals to review the emission trading scheme. France, who leads this school, is also pushing to reach agreement with MEPs on the whole climate package by the end of the year. However it appears unlikely to force the issue (EED 28/02/08 http://www.endseuropedaily.com/24942).
Like energy ministers and MEPs, environment ministers are also expected to express concern that the commission is not dealing adequately with the risk of its proposals to European energy-intensive industries (EED 28/02/08 http://www.endseuropedaily.com/24942 and EED 26/02/08 http://www.endseuropedaily.com/24922).
Several new member states, notably Estonia, will argue that their CO2-heavy oil shale-based energy production should also qualify as an energy-intensive industry potentially eligible for protection through free allowances or a carbon import tax.
Conclusions for the spring council will also cover biodiversity, environmental technologies, sustainable production and consumption, and better regulation. Ministers will debate whether and to what extent to mobilise new resources to tackle biodiversity loss. Discussion on environmental technologies will include whether targets for green public procurement are desirable.
Under any other business, the Netherlands hopes to discuss ship air pollution and France EU management of genetically modified organisms.
Follow-up: EU council of ministers http://www.consilium.europa.eu/, tel: +32 2 285 6211, plus agenda
http://www.consilium.europa.eu/ueDocs/cms_Data/docs/pressData/en/envir/98858.pdf
and background note
http://www.consilium.europa.eu/ueDocs/cms_Data/docs/pressData/en/envir/99041.pdf.
See also commission memo
http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=MEMO/08/134&format=HTML,
Greenpeace statement
and letters from T&E http://www.endseuropedaily.com/docs/80229a.pdf
and EEB http://www.eeb.org/activities/General/documents/lettertocouncil02-05-08.pdf.
ENDS Europe Daily is Europe's leading environmental news service. A free trial is available by clicking on the following link: http://www.endseuropedaily.com/web/helcom.