Background Material - EU Policy
EU Actions on Climate Change and Energy
By: The Earth’s Best Defense (NRDC), Institute for European Environmental Policy (IEEP)
Apr 2007
This paper summarises EU actions in the field of climate and energy taking into account the Energy Package published by the European Commission in January 2007. It draws conclusions regarding efforts in relation to cap and trade, biofuels, renewable energy, voluntary initiatives, energy efficiency and nuclear energy. The structure of the report mimics that of the US background paper (link) allowing easy comparison of efforts in both regions.
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Climate Change and International Security
Paper from the High Representative and the European Commission to the European Council
March 3, 2008
A discussion paper on the subject of "Climate change and international security" presented to the EU Council of Environment Ministers by Javier Solana, foreign policy chief of the EU. The paper views climate change as a threat multiplier which exacerbates existing trends, tensions and instability worldwide. Climate change is regarded as a key element of international relations with a strong security component. The paper argues that if recognised, addressing climate change can become a positive driver for improving and reforming global governance.
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EEA Report No 5/2007: Greenhouse Gas Emission Trends and Projections in Europe 2007
By: European Environment Agency
According to this new report from the European Environment Agency (EEA), the EU-15 can meet, and may even over-shoot, its 2012 Kyoto target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 8 % below 1990 levels if Member States implement now all additional policies being planned.
The report presents an evaluation of data between 1990 and 2005. More importantly, it evaluates member state projections of future greenhouse gas emissions and provides a good indication of progress towards Kyoto targets. The report is of particular relevance in the context of the 'first commitment period' of the Kyoto Protocol which runs from 2008 to 2012.
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An External Policy to Serve Europe’s Energy Interests
By: EU-Commission and the Secretary-General/High Representative
May 2006
Paper from Commission/SG/HR for the European Council
The EU and the world need reliable, affordable and sustainable flows of energy. This is a key element for economic development and the achievement of the Lisbon goals. There is an obvious link between energy security, sustainability and competitiveness.
This paper considers how EU external relations, including CFSP, can be used more effectively to pursue the common objective of securing reliable flows of affordable and environmentally sustainable energy.
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Competitiveness Effects of Environmental Tax Reforms (COMETR)
By: National Environmental Research Institute, University of Aarhus, Andersen et al.
2007
Final report to the European Commission, DG Research and DG TAXUD.
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Natural Gas Supply in the EU in the Short to Media Term
By: The Clingendael Institute
Mar 2004
The guiding theme for Clingendael Energy Papers on the European gas market is to examine whether the proposed changes to the market structure, i.e. the completion of the internal gas market, will generate an outcome which meets the fundamental energy policy requirements. These fundamentals of energy policy are: Price, security of supply and protection of the environment.
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The European Union’s New Targets on Emissions and Renewables: Pluses and Minuses
By: Oxford Institute for Energy Studies
Mar 2007
David Buchan argues that Angela Merkel has got her fellow EU leaders to agree at their March 8-9 summit to goals giving her a strong hand in chairing this year’s G-8 climate change negotiations. But making the emission trading scheme work would be a better long- term route to promoting clean energy than setting renewables targets.
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ERECs Position on the Framework Directive for Renewable Energy Sources
By: European Renewable Energy Council
Oct 2007
EREC and its members, the European renewable energy industry, trade and research associations representing a constantly growing European industry with a turnover of more than 30 billion Euro and already more than 350.000 employees based in the EU, believe that the future Directive on the promotion of renewable energy sources is key to reaching the 20% renewable energy target set out by the Heads of State in spring 2007.
Before the Commission presents a draft of this directive the industry wanted to outline the basic needs and recommendations for the content of such a directive.
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Economic Analysis of Reaching a 20% Share of Renewable Energy Sources in 2020
By: Fraunhofer ISI, EEG, ECOFYS
2006
This study identified how the EU would reach 20% share of renewables by 2020 in least cost manner.
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Support Schemes for Renewable Energy A Comparative Analysis of Payment Mechanisms in the EU
European Wind Energy Association
May 2005
The expansion of RES-E in Europe will entirely depend on the conditions in place at national level and EU level. As the EU gradually moves towards the creation of an Internal Market for RES-E, the need for harmonisation and removal of barriers to trade becomes increasingly evident. Unless stable conditions for investments exist it will be impossible to meet the ambitious EU goals. RE-Xpansion (EC funded project) attempts to bridge the gap between the theoretical economic analysis of possible European-wide systems, the regulatory framework and active renewable energy industry actors.
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Monitoring and Evaluation of Policy Instruments to Support Renewable Electricity in EU Member States (Summary)
By: Fraunhofer ISI, Energy Economics Group (EEG)
2006
Policy strategies for the promotion of electricity from renewable energy sources differ significantly among the Member States of the European Union with respect to the amount of additional installed capacity as well as concerning the country-specific support costs. The present report aims to assess the effectiveness and the economic efficiency of the support policies in the EU based on both historical experiences and prospective model-based analysis. The main message of the investigation is that the most effective policy instruments tend to be cost-efficient at the same time. In particular, feed-in tariff systems were identified as a successful instrument for supporting renewable energies in terms of effectiveness and efficiency, whereas quota systems still have to prove themselves in practice.
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EREC Recommendations for the EU Green Paper on Sustainable, Competitive, and Secure Energy
By: European Renewable Energy Council
If the EU wants to guarantee security, stability and prosperity in and around Europe an ambitious and coherent energy policy is a crucial requirement. Such a policy should rely on a common political will and include the necessary means to provide collective answers to the economic, social, environmental and more generally strategic issues which coalesce in the energy equation. In line with the treaties of the Union, it has to respond to security of energy supply, economic growth, sustainable development, climate change, employment and technological development.
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EREC Position on the Need for Sectorial Targets
By: European Renewable Energy Council
As the European Commission prepares its Renewable Energy Roadmap, due for adoption in the coming months, the European Renewable Energy Council reiterates that targets for the share of renewable energy in all three sectors (electricity, heating/cooling and biofuels) should be adopted. This is the basis for the continuation of a sustainable EU energy policy and a precondition for establishing a sustainable, competitive and secure energy mix for the future.
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EEA Report No 1/2008: EU Fails to Curb Emissions from Transport: Dramatic Improvements and Clear Targets Needed
By: European Environmental Agency
March 2008
The transport sector in the EU must apply rigorous measures to help Europe meet its greenhouse gas emission targets, says a new report published by the European Environment Agency.
The TERM 2007 report examines performance of the transport sector vis-a-vis potential future targets for greenhouse gas emission reductions and concludes that technology measures are insufficient to meet likely targets. Policy-makers have to address the growth in transport demand.
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The New Green Agenda – Politics Running Ahead of Policies
By: Oxford Institute for Energy Studies
Mar 2007
Recent months have seen an outburst of target-setting on climate change, for example the UK Government’s new climate change strategy. But experience shows that governments’ track record of delivery in this area is very poor – nearly all climate change targets have been missed. In this Comment, Malcolm Keay suggests that to make targets binding and subject to independent monitoring when there is no effective means of delivery, as the UK is proposing, could prove very damaging.
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Differentiation and Dynamics of EU ETS Industrial Competetiveness Impacts
By: Karsten Neuhoff et al. (Climate Strategies)
2008
Report of Climate Strategies analysing risk of leakage that might result if individual countries or regions pursue more ambitious climate policy with strong price signals
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Taking Action against Global Warming – An Overview of German Climate Policy
By: BMU (German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety)
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The Integrated Energy and Climate Program of the German Government
By: BMU (German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety)
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