The energy dimension of climate change
The European Commission, on the initiative of Commissioner Christos Papoutsis, responsible for energy policy, has adopted a communication on the energy dimension of climate change. The communication is an input into preparations in Europe for the United Nations conference on climate change, to be held in Kyoto, Japan, in December 1997. The objective of the communication is to outline the challenges posed to energy policy-makers by the challenge of climate change, and identify a number of areas of policy action which may assist in responding to the challenges. By stimulating a debate, both within and outwith the EU institutions, the Commission hopes to see whether and how the commitment to a 15% reduction in emissions of greenhouse gases, as compared to the 1990 level, can be met. This communication, in the energy sector, is the first instalment in an overall communication which will address climate change and its relation to all policies, expected to be published later in 1997. Energy policy has been tackled first since it will be the policy area in which the main measures will need to be taken. It also provides the first analysis of the contribution which the energy sector will need to make. Current projections show that in 2010 CO2 emissions will be some 8% higher than in 1990, meaning that the EU Member States would be exceeding the targets they agreed to by more than 20%. In order to meet this challenge, the communication calls for an integrated approach, with policies and measures pursued jointly at national and EU level. The Commission calls on the Council to address the following points: - Achieving the 15% reduction target will require major energy policy decisions, focusing on reducing energy intensity through energy management and energy saving, and promoting renewable energy sources; - Different combinations of policies and measures may be used to reduce emissions. Decisions must therefore be taken on the policies to be followed, and the most cost-effective solutions; - In determining the solutions to be adopted, decisions need to be taken as to the mix of legislative and voluntary, measures required, and to what extent implementation should be the responsibility of the Community, national governments, regional and local authorities, industry and other economic sectors; - To ensure that the policies and measures required may be implemented, the EU and individual Member States need to address the question of the costs involved and the resources which are available for allocation. The communication presents a number of areas in which action could be taken, including: energy efficiency and energy saving, greater cooperation with the economic actors and environmental agreement, the acceleration of the penetration of renewable energy sources, better energy management at local, island and regional level, promotion of combined heat and power production initiatives, electricity generation, integration with other policies, technology and innovation, limitations of greenhouse gas emissions other than CO2 emissions, fiscal instruments and resourcing.