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EU leader urges MEPs to back green growth plan
By Marine LAOUCHEZ, Dave CLARK
Brussels (AFP) Dec 11, 2019

Europe's Green Deal: The roadmap
Brussels (AFP) Dec 11, 2019 - The European Commission has presented its Green Deal, a growth strategy aimed at building a carbon neutral economy by 2050.

The plan will now be considered by EU leaders and the European Parliament, under pressure from energy lobbyists and climate activists.

Here are the main points of the blueprint unveiled Wednesday by commission president Ursula von der Leyen.

- 'European Climate Law' -

The first legislative hurdle for the deal to cross will be passing a law to set the 2050 carbon neutral target date in stone.

The Commission will present the text of the law within 100 days, and warns that current policies would only reduce emissions by 60 percent by mid century.

By June next year the EU should have a study laying out how to cut greenhouse gas emissions by at least 50 percent from 1990 levels by 2030.

The plan is to have the new targets agreed before the COP26 global climate conference in Glasgow, Scotland at the end of next year.

- 'Just Transition Mechanism' -

Some Eastern member states, such as Poland and the Czech republic, that still largely rely on coal for energy production have opposed the 20250 target.

The plan laid out this week would see a "transition mechanism" -- a fund of five to seven billion euros -- added to the bloc's 2021-2027 budget framework.

Along with spending from the EU cohesion budget, national funds and loans from the European Investment Bank, EU officials say 100 billion could be mobilised.

This would help countries' switch to renewable energy.

- Carbon markets -

The Green Deal plan also foresees a reform of the EU Emissions Trading System, a carbon market that allows polluting companies to trade their quotas.

The commission wants in particular to include the shipping industry in the system and reduce the allowances granted to aviation.

There also will be a mechanism to protest greener European manufacturers from less environmentally friendly rival imported goods.

- Green investments -

Early next year, the Commission will present a plan aimed at adding 260 billion euros per year in climate-friendly investments.

"At least 25 percent of the EU's long-term budget should be dedicated to climate action," the European Commission said.

"For the private sector to contribute to financing the green transition, the Commission will present a Green Financing Strategy in 2020."

- Biodiversity and pesticides -

Under plans to be outlines in more detail in the first quarter of next year, the Commission wants to place new limits on pesticide use by 2021.

- Zero emission transport -

The commission is seeking "legislative options" to support charging stations for the 25 million electric vehicles they expect on European roads by 2025.

Officials estimate that a million public stations will be needed.

By June 2021, they intend to tighten up emissions rules for cars and vans still further.

- Climate diplomacy -

The Commission plans to make respect for the Paris Climate Agreement an essential clause in any future free trade deals with outside powers.

- Building standards -

Brussels wants to trigger a "wave of renovation" by tightening building regulations to favour well-insulated, low energy architecture.

- The circular economy -

The Green Deal will also promote what Brussels calls the "circular economy" -- reducing consumption of non-renewable resources and increasing recycling.

A new industrial strategy to promote "climate neutral products" will be prepared for March 2020.

The EU's top official Wednesday launched the bloc's new "Green Deal", hailing it as a strategy for jobs and economic growth, not just for cutting emissions.

Unveiling the plan to the European Parliament, European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen also warned against the steep cost of inaction.

Earlier, she had compared the ambition of the plan to the 1960s US mission to the moon, but Green groups were quick to warn it does not go far enough.

The key element of the plan will be a law committing member states to build a carbon neutral economy by 2050 -- but first it will need the go-ahead from parliament and EU leaders.

"We do not have all the answers yet. Today is the start of a journey. But this is Europe's man on the moon moment," Ursula von der Leyen said.

She promised a "new growth strategy" that "gives back more than it takes away", aiming to mobilise around 100 billion euros to fund clean energy projects.

"We have to make sure no one is left behind," she told reporters. "This transition will either be working for all and be just, or it will not work at all."

In parliament, she said: "Some say the cost of this transition is too high, let us never forget what the cost of non-action would be. It is rising by the year."

The document is the first major political challenge for the former German defence minister since she took charge of the European Commission this month.

And it comes as a UN global climate summit is under way in Madrid -- focusing attention on the crisis -- and on the eve of von der Leyen's first EU summit.

Various leaked versions of the plan have been flying around Brussels for weeks, and lobby groups from all sides of the debate have been piling on pressure.

The European Parliament was the first to officially receive the plan.

"At this point, we can't yet say if it's a Green Deal or green washing," said French Green MEP Karima Delli as associations feared the proposals did not go far enough.

The leaders of EU member states will hear it on Thursday at their Brussels summit and von der Leyen's deputy Frans Timmermans will take it to this week's COP25 forum in Madrid.

"It's important that, in parallel to the announcement, there's a signal" of support from European leaders, European Council President Charles Michel said.

The "European Green Deal" lists legislative proposals, financial instruments and action plans in different sectors, with a timetable.

The key goals are to use a combination of cleaner tech and carbon capture methods to make Europe the first "carbon neutral" economy by 2050.

- Global competitors -

Three countries still highly dependent on fossil fuels, particularly coal, could still block the way: Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic.

To convince them, the Commission plans to establish a 100-billion-euro "transition mechanism" to help them transition to renewable energy sources.

"It would help if at the Council we get some progress on carbon neutrality," said MEP Pascal Canfin, chair of the environment committee of the leaders' meeting.

The European Commission wants to set a target of cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 50 or even 55 percent by 2030, up from its 40 percent goal.

But for some this does not go far enough.

"The promises are too small, too few, and too far off," said Jagoda Munic of Friends of the Earth Europe.

"We're on a runaway train to ecological and climate collapse and the EU Commission is gently switching gears instead of slamming on the brakes."

The action plan also includes plans to extend the EU Emissions Trading System into the highly polluting shipping sector.

And there are plans for a "border adjustment mechanism" aimed at importers to ensure that EU companies do not lose out to competitors who flout the Paris Climate Agreement.

The Commission will also lay out the timetable for its "from farm to fork" strategy to promote sustainable and quality agriculture, as well as that on biodiversity.

But however ambitious von der Leyen's environmental plan is, it will be very dependent on the money EU members are willing to spend on it.

For the moment, this is the unknown. Negotiations for the multi-year MFF budget for the period 2021-2027 are running late and entering a difficult stage.


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ENERGY NEWS
EU to miss 2020 green goals: agency
Copenhagen (AFP) Dec 4, 2019
The EU will not meet its environmental targets for 2020 but could achieve those for 2030 and 2050 if urgent action is taken, the European Environment Agency (EEA) said Wednesday. "While most of the 2020 targets will not be achieved, especially those on biodiversity, there is still a chance to meet the longer-term goals and objectives for 2030 and 2050," the EEA said in a report published during the COP25 summit that opened in Madrid on Monday. It said Europe needed "urgent action" during the nex ... read more

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