Transcript presentation - EU Environment Policy

Environmental Governance
and Regulation in the EU
Timo Mäkelä
European Commission – DG Environment
Conference EU Environment Policy: Impact on Thai Business
29 May 2008
Overview
 EU environment policies and priorities

Current developments in the 4 priorities
 Special focus on:

Sustainable Consumption and Production action plan

Environment into EU external (trade) policy
 EU environment policy challenges for the years to
come
Conference EU Environment Policy: Impact on Thai Business
29 May 2008
EU policy-making
 Political impetus - European Council
 Decision making proces – institutional triangle: Council of
Ministers, European Commission, European Parliament
 Codecision, Assent, Consultation
 Primary legislation – treaties
 Lisbon Treaty (being ratified now by countries)
 Secondary legislation:
 Regulations, Directives, Decisions, Recommendations and
opinions
 Transposition/implementation by Member States
Conference EU Environment Policy: Impact on Thai Business
29 May 2008
EU approach to environment policy
 Objective

Sustainable Development
 6th Environment Action Programme (2002-2012)

6 EAP outlines main priorities for action on the environment:
 Climate change
 Nature and biodiversity

Environment and health
 Sustainable use of natural resources
 Better regulation now central to environmental policymaking
Conference EU Environment Policy: Impact on Thai Business
29 May 2008
EU Climate change policies
 Environment policy and climate change at top of
agenda
 EU Climate Change Programme


EU Emission Trading Scheme: flagship
Proposed legislative framework : target of 120 g/km CO2
emissions for new cars (2012)
 EU commitment: Spring Council 2007


20% reduction in GHG emissions by 2020
20% share for energy from renewable sources
 30% reduction in GHG emissions if international
agreement
Conference EU Environment Policy: Impact on Thai Business
29 May 2008
Climate Action and Renewable Energy
implementation package
 Revision of EU Emissions Trading System (ETS)

Broader coverage: more emissions, more industries
 Effort sharing in non ETS sectors: road transport,
buildings, services and agriculture
 Legally enforceable targets for share of renewables
 Framework Carbon Capture and Geological Storage
 Proposals set Europe on path to low-carbon
economy
Conference EU Environment Policy: Impact on Thai Business
29 May 2008
Climate change globally
 EU’s aim for post Kyoto Agreement

binding absolute emission reduction targets for developed
countries
 enhanced contributions by newly industrialising and
developing countries.
 limit global temperature increase to less than 2°C
 Bali Conference : December 2007

Work towards global agreement
 End 2008: UN Climate conference in Poznan:
assessment of progress
Conference EU Environment Policy: Impact on Thai Business
29 May 2008
Nature and biodiversity
 Loss of biodiversity is a global threat

just as serious as climate change
 EU target of halting biodiversity loss by 2010:
additional efforts needed
 Biodiversity action plan (2006): step up implementation
 Natura 2000 network of conservation areas: to be
extended
 9th COP to the Convention on Biological Diversity (1930 May 2008)
 assess progress towards global target (reducing rate
of biodiversity loss by 2010)
Conference EU Environment Policy: Impact on Thai Business
29 May 2008
Environment and health
 Binding rules on air, water, waste, chemicals…
 Environment impact to health: a growing
concern
 Action on Chemicals: New legislation (REACH)
 Proposal for new legislation on industrial
emissions
Conference EU Environment Policy: Impact on Thai Business
29 May 2008
Sustainable use of natural resources
 Robust legislation on waste; boosting eco-efficiency via
innovation
 International Panel for Sustainable Resource Management
 New policies on better ship dismantling
 Revised Waste Framework Directive in 2008
 Revision of the WEEE and RoHS directives in 2008
 From waste to resource policies
Conference EU Environment Policy: Impact on Thai Business
29 May 2008
Towards Sustainable Consumption
and Production
- The issue  Ecological footprint
=>Globally there are 1.8 gha/capita available, while the overall
global footprint is 2.2 gha/capita
 Evolution of population & living standards
=> 6 times consumption by 2050
 70-80% of environmental impacts: transport, food & drink,
housing
 Households & Industry (incl. energy industries)
=> 67% share of greenhouse gases in EU
Conference EU Environment Policy: Impact on Thai Business
29 May 2008
Threats to Human Health
Threats to Biodiversity
Climate Change
Pollution
Green House
Gasses
Economic growth
Prices do not
reflect costs
Degradation
air, water, soil…
Unsustainable
Production &
Consumption
Imperfect
Information
Bounded
Rationality
Depletion
Resources
Population growth
Spending power
Internal Market
Incomplete Distortions
Markets
Conference EU Environment Policy: Impact on Thai Business
29 May 2008
The Sustainable Consumption and
Production Action Plan
1. Smarter Consumption
– Better Products
2. Leaner Production
3. Global Action
Conference EU Environment Policy: Impact on Thai Business
29 May 2008
Policy Framework for Smarter
Consumption and Better Products
 Revise Eco-design


Minimum requirements
Environmental performance benchmarks
Mandatory
 Revise energy label
 Revise Eco-label

Excellence “Front runner”
 EU Ecolabel also in Thailand!
Conference EU Environment Policy: Impact on Thai Business
29 May 2008
Voluntary
Smarter Consumption

Fiscal or other incentives may be set by Community or
Member States using reference points / benchmarking

Green Public Procurement: Authorities to buy above
selected level

Working with Retailers and Consumers


EU-level Forum for Retailers
Commitment towards code of conduct
 Environmental claims - commercial practices

Awareness and education actions
Conference EU Environment Policy: Impact on Thai Business
29 May 2008
Leaner Production
 Resource Efficiency and Eco-innovation

Tools and benchmarks
 Environmental Technology Verification

Build confidence for new technologies
 Revised EMAS

Increase participation, reduce burdens, SMEs
Conference EU Environment Policy: Impact on Thai Business
29 May 2008
SCP Roadmap

EC Communication: 2008

First Group of actions 2008:


Revised Eco-design Directive

Revised Eco-label Directive

Revised EMAS Directive

Communication on Green Public Procurement
Further actions later in 2008 and 2009

Revised Energy Efficiency Labelling Directive

….
Conference EU Environment Policy: Impact on Thai Business
29 May 2008
Environmental aspects in EU
external (trade) policy
 Partnership and Cooperation Agreement with Thailand and
Free Trade Agreement EU-ASEAN: Negotiations ongoing
 PCA: Aim: reinforced cooperation, also for environment
 FTA : Trade and Sustainable Development Chapter

Objective: how to make trade work for Sustainable
Development?

Include number of commitments

Sustainability Impact Assessments

Non sanctions based monitoring mechanism with involvement
of government and civil society
Conference EU Environment Policy: Impact on Thai Business
29 May 2008
Environmental aspects in EU
external (trade) policy
 Fund: SWITCH-Asia Programme

Promoting
Sustainable
Consumption
and
Production in Asia (“programme) – 90 million
euros for the period 2007-2010 one third dedicated to
ASEAN group

320 proposals received in the First Call
Conference EU Environment Policy: Impact on Thai Business
29 May 2008
Global negotiations - WTO
 US-EU proposal

Liberalisation of package of goods and services with clear
environment benefit, in particular for climate change

Further binding commitments to eliminate tariffs and nontariff barriers in trade in green technologies

Goal: spread green technologies globally
Conference EU Environment Policy: Impact on Thai Business
29 May 2008
EU environment policy challenges for
the years to come
 Further strengthening implementation
 Continued effort to simplify and improve
policies and instruments
 Climate change and adaptation
 Protection of biodiversity
 Sustainable Production and Consumption
Conference EU Environment Policy: Impact on Thai Business
29 May 2008