Transcript INSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENTS OF EU ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY

DEVELOPMENTS OF EU
ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY
EU ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY
► No
explicit Treaty provision for any environmental
policy
► Nowadays:
+ 200 pieces of legislation covering
almost all policy areas (air, water, soil, noise, birds,
habitats, biodiversity, urban and hazardous waste,
chemicals, biotechnologies, genetically modified
organisms, energy, climate change, impact and
risk assessment, civil protection, etc.)
► Alternative
forms of regulation: market, selfregulation, eco-audit, eco-labelling, public
information, etc.
►A
shared (single) policy with the member
states (Europeanization)
►6
Environmental Action Programmes (19732010)
5 established Principles
 Precaution (assess, appraise and communicate
risks that science is not yet able to evaluate
fully)
 Prevention (instead of reaction)
 Rectifying pollution at source
 “Polluter pays”
 Subsidiarity (EU action only when it can deal
with problems more effectively than national or
regional governments).
Global Dimension
►A
common Strategy for Sustainable Development
► The most progressive environmental policy in the
world
► Environmental considerations into other EU
external policies (trade, cooperation, etc.)
► A proactive international player (i.e. Kyoto)
► Approximately one third of Community
environmental policy aims to implement legally
binding international commitments.
Why a European policy?
► Transborder
pollution (subsidiarity)
► Harmonization of environmental standards
(internal market)
► European Commission and EP increasing
activism
► Member states pushers
► Growing public opinion awareness (Green
groups and parties)
However…
The state of the European environment still is
a source of growing concern:
► Implementation
(normative) gap
► Integration gap (EPI),
► New Challenges (enlargement, Kyoto)
An Incremental Process
Original sources of EU regulation: art. 100 (harmonization)
and 308 ECT (implicit powers)
► 1967: First directive on “classification, labelling and
packaging of dangerous substances”
► 1970: First directive on “car emission standards caused by
diesel engines” (optional harmonisation)
► 1979: Birds directive
► 1980: Minimum standards for drinking water Directive
► 1985: Environmental Impact Assessment Directive
►
1988: Large combustion plants emissions
► 1990: Public access to envir information
► 1992: Habitats directive
► 1994: European Environmental Agency
► 1994: Implementing the Montreal Protocol of the Vienna
Convention (Ozone layer)
►
►
1996: Directive on integrated pollution prevention and
control
►
2000: Framework directive on water
►
2002: Ratification of Kyoto Protocol on Climate Change
Environmental Action Plans
► 1973-76:
polluter pays principle
 Reduce and prevent pollution
 Protect the environment and improve quality of
life
 Support for international initiatives
► 1977-81: strengthening control on implementation
► 1982-86: shift from control to prevention; impact
assessment, integration of environmental policy
considerations in other fields
► 1987-92: from regulation to economic instruments
(taxes, incentives)
► 1993-2000: “Towards Sustainable Development”
► 2000-2010: “The Future is in our Hands”…
External pressures
► 1970
– US Environmental Agency
► 1972 - UN Conference on the Human Environment
(Stockholm)
► 1973 - 1st EAP (Principle “Polluter Pays”)
► 1984 - Txernobil nuclear accident
► 1987 - UN Brundtland Report
► 1992 – Rio Summit
► 1992 – Vth Environment Action Programme 19922000 (“Towards Sustainability”)
► 2002 - Johannesburg Summit
► 2001 – EU SD Strategy
Internal pressures
►
►
►
►
►
►
Economic expansion-recession
Environmental disasters
Seveso dioxins (1976)-“Seveso directive”
on the major-accident hazards of certain
industrial activities (1982)
Accidental or deliberate Marine Pollution
directive
Rivers degradation: Rhine pollution
Convention (2000)
Public opinion awareness: Green
movement and parties
Internal Market Pressures
► The
Environment as an economic
imperative (Free Market competition)
► Concern of environmental protection
as a potential threat for market
distortions
► Competitive disadvantage as a result
of “environmental dumping”
► New decision making rules (SEA)
Transboundary pollution
► Air
(acid rain)
► Rivers (Rhin)
► Seas
► Birds
► Hazardous Waste moving across borders
THE CONSTITUTIONALIZATION OF
ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY
► The
Single European Act (1986)
► Maastricht
(1992)
► Amsterdam
(1997)
SINGLE EUROPEAN ACT (1986)
► EP
becomes a Common policy
► Integration of environmental considerations into
the other EC policies
► Improving environmental quality as a legitimate
Comunity objective
 Preserve, protect and improve the quality of the
environment
 Protecting human health
 Ensure a prudent and rational use of natural
Resources
SEA (AUE)
► QM
voting for environmental decisions
necessary for the completion of the Internal
Market (art.100)
► After
a Community harmonisation measure
has been adopted, Member States may:
 Maintain existing national provisions to protect
the environment
 Introduce new national provisions to protect it
THE TREATY OF MAATRICHT (1992)
► The
Rio Summit
► “Sustainable growth” as one main objective of the
EU (art. 2)
► The Environment is a full common policy
► Includes the precautionary principle (art. 130)
► Penalty payment for non-compliance (art. 171)
► QM voting and co-decision procedure with
exceptions (tax policy, territoirial setting, energy)
► Cohesion Fund for Env. infrastructures
THE TREATY OF AMSTERDAM (1997)
Enhances:
► The
importance of SD and environmental
protection
► Subsidiarity (decisions at the lowest level)
► The international role of the EU
SD and Amsterdam
► SD
becomes one of the main objectives of the EU
as important as eco and social progress (art. 2)
► It is one of the Union’s main tasks
► “Environmental protection requirements must be
integrated into the definition and implementation
of Community policies and activities into the other
policies” (art. 6)
► Integration is one one the means of promoting SD
5th Environment Action Program
(1992-2000)-Towards Sustainability
► The
features of sustainability
 to maintain the overall quality of life
 to maintain continuing access to natural
resources
 to avoid lasting environmental damage
 SD meets the needs of the present without
compromising the ability of future generations
to meet their own needs
5th EAP – 2 major principles
1.
The integration of the environmental
dimension in all major policy areas as a key
factor: environmental protection targets can only
be achieved by involving those policy areas
causing env deterioration
1.
Only by replacing the command-and-control
approach with shared responsibility between
the various actors (governments, industry and
the public) can commitment to agreed measures
be achieved
Mid-term assessment (1996)
►5
priority areas
1) improving integration of the envir into other
policies (CAP, transport, energy, industry and
tourism
2) Use of a wider range of instruments (see next)
3) Increased implementation and enforcement
measures by improved and simplified legislation
4) Additional action in the field of communication
and information
5) Reinforcing the global Union’s role
A wider range of policy instruments






Legislation to set env standards
Market-based instruments (taxes, incentives,
voluntary agreements and instruments, etc.) to
encourage the production and use of
environmentally friendly products and processes
Horizontal support measures (EEA, R+D Programs,
public information, education, training
Sectoral and spatial planning
Environmental Impact Evaluation
Financial support (CAP, SF, Cohesion, LIFE,
URBAN, etc)
LIFE
►
►
►
►
Financial Instrument for the Environment, introduced in
1992. It co-finances projects in three areas:
LIFE Nature: conserve natural habitats and the wild fauna
and flora of EU interest, according to the Birds and
Habitats directives, thus supporting implementation of the
European Union's nature conservation policy and the
Natura 2000 Network.
LIFE-Environment: implementation of Community policy
and legislation on the environment in the EU and CCs.
Demonstration and development of new methods for the
protection and the enhancement of the environment.
LIFE-Third Countries: technical assistance activities for
promoting SD in third countries. Development of
environmental management capacities, both for our
administrative partners outside the Union and for
companies and NGOs.
► El
Reglamento LIFE define cinco ámbitos de
intervención:
• ordenación y aprovechamiento del territorio;
• gestión de aguas;
• reducción del impacto ambiental de las actividades
económicas;
• gestión de residuos;
• reducción del impacto ambiental de los productos
mediante una política integrada de productos.
Procedimiento legislativo LIFE
►
►
►
►
►
►
►
►
►
February/March 2007: Formal meeting of the Conciliation Committee
28 November 2006 : Conciliation Committee constitutive meeting
24 October 2006 : EP Plenary vote on LIFE+ (Legislative resolution
2nd reading)
14 September 2006 : EP Committee for Environment, Public Health
and Food Safety : Isler Béguin (Greens/EFA, FR) recommendation for
second reading on LIFE+
27 June 2006
: EU Environment Council reaches agreement on
LIFE+
26 May 2006
: Commission proposes revised budget (EUR
2,097.9 for LIFE+ 2007-2013).
2 December 2005 : Environment Council reached partial political
agreement on LIFE+.
7 July 2005
: EP Plenary vote on LIFE+ (legislative resolution 1st
reading Codecision)
14 April 2005
: Opinion of the Committee of the Regions on
LIFE+ (OJ C 231 of 20.09.2005).
29 September 2004 : Commission proposes LIFE+ to run from 2007-
La Agencia Europea de Medio
Ambiente
► Información
sólida e independiente acerca
del medio ambiente.
► Principal fuente de información para los
responsables del desarrollo, adopción, aplicación y
evaluación de las políticas medioambientales, así
como el gran público.
► Cuenta
con 31 Estados miembros: los 27 de la
► Unión, además de Bulgaria, Islandia,
Liechtenstein, Noruega, Rumanía y Turquía.
Clientes
► La
Comisión Europea, el Parlamento
Europeo, el Consejo (especialmente a través
de sus presidencias) y los estados
miembros.
► Otras instituciones, como el CdR y el CES
► Otros usuarios: la comunidad empresarial, el
mundo académico, ONG, etc.
.
Funciones
►
►
►
►
►
►
Registrar, recopilar, analizar y difundir datos sobre el estado
del medio ambiente.
Proporcionar a la Comunidad y a los Estados miembros la
información objetiva necesaria para elaborar y aplicar
políticas eficaces y acertadas en materia de medio
ambiente.
Contribuir al control de las medidas medioambientales.
Trabajar para que los datos sean comparables a escala
europea.
Favorecer el desarrollo e integración de técnicas de
previsión en el ámbito del medio ambiente.
Garantizar una difusión amplia de información
medioambiental fidedigna.
Fuentes
Una amplia gama de fuentes.
► Eionet: Red europea de información y observación del
medioambiente.
► La AEMA tiene la responsabilidad de desarrollar esta red y
coordinar sus actividades.
► Colabora con los Puntos Focales Nacionales (agencias
nacionales de medio ambiente o los ministerios de medio
ambiente), responsables de coordinar las redes nacionales
(alrededor de 300 entidades en total).
► Entre las tareas principales de los Puntos Focales
Nacionales están la identificación de las necesidades de
información, la recogida de datos e informaciones
procedentes, entre otras, de actividades de vigilancia en
los Estados miembros y su envío a la AEMA, así como el
apoyo a la AEMA en el análisis y uso de la información y en
la difusión de ésta entre los usuarios finales
►
Sectores
► la
calidad del aire;
► la calidad de las aguas;
► el estado del suelo, de la fauna y de la flora;
► el uso del suelo y los recursos naturales;
► la gestión de residuos;
► las emisiones sonoras;
► las sustancias químicas;
► la protección del litoral y marina.
The preparation of the VIth EAP
► In
July 1998 (30 months after the proposal
was presented by the COM!!) the EP and
the CM agreed in concialition a text on the
Review of the Vth EAP
► The Helsinki European Council (Dec. 1999)
invited the COM to “prepare a long-term
strategy on economic, social and ecological
SD” to be submitted to the Gothemburg
Council (June 2001)
Göthembourg Summit (June 2001)
COM method: consultation paper to generate
discussion and inputs from other EU
institutions and civil society
Compehensive strategies of 9 Councils:
Environment, Transport, Energy, Agriculture,
Industry, Internal Market, Development,
ECOFIN, General Affairs
5 Key approaches to
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
Ensure the implementation of existing legislation
Integrate env concerns into all relevant policy
areas
Work closely with business and consumers to
identify solutions
Ensure better and more accessible information
for citizens
Develop a more env conscious attitude towards
land use
Environment 2010: Our Future, Our Choice
The 6th EAP 2001-2010
►4




priority areas
Climate change
Nature and biodiversity
Environment and health
Natural resources and waste
► Approaches
emphazise the need for more
effective implementation and more
innovative solutions
►A
wider constituency must be addressed,
including business who can gain form EP
► The
Program seeks new and innovative
instruments for meeting complex challenges
► Action
must be taken by all at all levels: public
authorities, citizens and business
► Changes in consumption and investment patterns
are needed
► Political leadership is essential (narrow sectoral
interests must not prevail)
► A new integrative approach to policy-making
► A responsible partner in a globalized world:
“leadership through example”
Challenges and implications of SD for
public institutions and citizens
“Without increasing environmental concerns in
the economic sectors and without a stronger
participation and commitment of citizens
and stakeholders, our development will
remain unsustainable” (VI EAP)
A number of implications
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)
8)
9)
Changes in behaviour
Increasing capabilities
Information and communication
Social participation
Conflict management
Integration of policies
Vertical-horizontal coordination
Instruments
Cooperation
EU Environmental Policy Actors
► CM
► COM
► EP
► ECJ
The Council of Ministers
competitive dynamic: negotiation “pushers-laggards”
► isolation of environmental ministers from domestic
pressures,
► policy-transfer (ideas, practices),
► package dealing (compromises, i.e. Cohesion Fund)
► awareness about financial-administrative costs (long
deadlines for implementation)
► unawareness (internal pressures, implementation gap)
► short terminisn (governments) vs. strategic non elected
thinkers (Commission)
► expectations of poor compliance (member states
responsible for enforcement)
►
The Commission
►A
creative policy-entrepreneur (only 500 officials)
► Key player at the stage of agenda setting and
policy formulation (expertise and consultation
networks)
► A segmented player: DG environment, less
powerful than Industry or Agriculture. Need for
coordination with other DGs concerned.
Coordination with EP committees (Environment,
Budget, Regional policy)
► Implementation control deficit
The European Parliament
► The
“greenest” of the 3 main policy-making
bodies
► Committee on the Environment, Public
Health and Consumer Protection
► Co-decision procedure
European Court of Justice
► Pusher
of EU environ policy-making
► Before the SEA (AUE)
► Emancipation of the env. Agenda from the
market agenda (Danish bottle)
► Ensures compliance with EU law
(infringements procedures) ex: fining
Greece for uncontrolled waste tipping; Spain
for inland bathing waters
► Preliminary ruling (recurso prejudicial)
The EU as an international actor
► 1/3
of environmental measures linked to
international agreements (air pollution,
water, waste, wildlife, climate change, etc.)
► Ambiguity: who negotiates?
► Internal-external negotiation (Kyoto)
Cambio climático
►
Links
►
International bodies:
►
►
►

United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)

OECD Climate Change site
EU activities:

European Climate Change Programme

DG Environment

Sixth Framework Programme for Research: Sustainable development, global change and ecosystems

European Topic Centre on Air and Climate Change

European Environment Agency
Specific reports:

EEA Briefing 3/2005 – Vulnerability and adaptation to climate change in Europe (2005/12/07)

Vulnerability and Adaptation to Climate Change in Europe (2005/12/07)

EEA Briefing 1/2005 – Climate change and river flooding in Europe (2005/04/06)
Other information:

Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research

UK Climate Impacts Program

Potsdam Institute for Climate change research