Thursday, March 28

MEPs reject key EU climate proposal after aims watered down | European Union


The European parliament has rejected as too weak a central plank of the EU’s plan to combat the climate emergency, after the centre-right MEPs attempted to water down key proposals.

Uproar and recriminations followed after MEPs voted against proposed overhaul of the European emissions trading system (ETS) that aimed to curb pollution from power stations and factories.

Green and Social Democrat MEPs voted down the ETS text, saying they had prevailed over “the fossil alliance”. The centre-right accused those MEPs of siding with the anti-climate far-right.

The rejection of the ETS changes led to the postponement of two linked votes: a controversial carbon border levy that would impose costs on foreign imports of iron, steel, cement and other polluting products; and a “social climate fund”, which aims to shield poorer households from the cost of energy efficiency improvements.

The proposed laws are now sent back to the European parliament’s environment committee, the body tasked with finding a compromise between political groups.

The three are part of a broader EU response to the climate crisis, with the goal of cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 55% by the end of the decade.

MEPs are due to enter negotiations with officials from member states, the final stage of turning the EU’s green deal promises into legally binding requirements. But the timing has now been thrown into doubt.

The votes followed recent warnings from scientists that carbon dioxide levels were now 50% higher than during the pre-industrial era and that global heating of more than 1.5C would lead to a catastrophic impact from worsening heatwaves, storms, droughts and floods.

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The EU ETS, created in 2005, is one of the bloc’s flagship policies to cut greenhouse gases. The European parliament’s environment committee had proposed the industrial and energy sectors covered by the ETS should reduce emissions by 67% by 2030, compared with 2005 levels. The European Commission proposed a cut of 61%.

But the centre-right German MEP, Peter Liese, the parliament’s lead negotiator on the legislation, angered some when he proposed scaling the target back to 63%. In another move heavily criticized by green campaigners, he wanted to slow down the phaseout of free emission permits for industry.

While power stations pay for pollution permits, energy-intensive industries benefit from free allowances to protect them from more lightly regulated competitors outside the EU. The EU now wants to end free allowances and impose a levy on polluting imports, known as the “carbon border adjustment mechanism”.

Liese accused the Social Democrats and Greens of having “wrecked our compromises” and “thus diminished[ing] the influence of parliament”.

“The Social Democrats and the Greens have failed to live up to their responsibility for climate protection,” Liese said. “They wanted a 67% reduction… at the very time when we are challenged by the crisis in Russia and the need to become less dependent on Russian gas. I think it is really indecent and I hope that we can correct the mistake.”

Jakop Dalunde, a Swedish Green, said a “progressive majority” had prevailed over “the fossil alliance” and prevented the worst. “It is essential that we get the emissions trading system right. ETS, as the biggest climate policy instrument, only works if we have ambitious targets for significantly lower greenhouse gas emissions.”

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Pascal Canfin, the centrist chair of the environment committee, promised the search for compromise would begin immediately. “This deal could be made this afternoon, could be made in two weeks, could be made in July, I don’t know yet. That is what we are going to start discussing,” he said.

Before Wednesday’s votes, the EU’s top climate official, Frans Timmermans, said he was worried about some of the parliament’s amendments, including reducing the scope of a contentious proposal to create an ETS for housing and transport. He also criticized an amendment from centre-right lawmakers to exempt 10% of cars from the 2035 phaseout of petrol and diesel engines, slowing down the switch to electric vehicles.

MEPs are due to vote on the COtwo and cars legislation later on Wednesday.


www.theguardian.com

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