European Commission
Statement on Energy and Climate Change
5 May 2006
The EU Commission aligns itself with the presentation given by the Austrian Presidency and
recently Germany. The developed countries that presently have commitments inscribed in Annex
B and have ratified the Kyoto Protocol will not be able to combat climate change effectively on
their own. These countries accounted for only 30 % of global emissions in the year 2000.
Today?s 25 member states of the European Union accounted for 14 % of global emissions in
2000. This share is expected to decrease substantially in coming decades. A broader strategy for
global measures involving all developed and developing countries is required. The Commission
was most encouraged by the interventions from many developing countries yesterday on their
willingness to undertake some kind of climate commitments, and their present activities to limit
greenhouse gas emissions.
Inspired by the notion raised during the session yesterday on the need to engage the private
sector the Commission want to put the attention to the EU emissions trading scheme, which is
the largest CO2 trading scheme in the world. The scheme covers installations responsible for
about 50 % of EU CO2 emissions, and has put a price on CO2 in Europe for the first time. This
is a very concrete and effective way to engage the private sector in reducing CO2-emissions, and
the scheme is open for other countries to join in.
The EU has also established ambitious time bound targets to expand the use of renewable energy
from 6 % of total energy supply in the late 1990's to 12 % in 2010. Renewable electricity
production is set increase from 12 to 21 % and biofuels from 0 to 5.75 % in 2010. These targets
are driving technology development and cost reductions, which will also be available for the rest
of the world.
These examples show how the EU is very concrete and ambitious in putting our climate
commitments into practice.
5 May 2006
The EU Commission aligns itself with the presentation given by the Austrian Presidency and
recently Germany. The developed countries that presently have commitments inscribed in Annex
B and have ratified the Kyoto Protocol will not be able to combat climate change effectively on
their own. These countries accounted for only 30 % of global emissions in the year 2000.
Today?s 25 member states of the European Union accounted for 14 % of global emissions in
2000. This share is expected to decrease substantially in coming decades. A broader strategy for
global measures involving all developed and developing countries is required. The Commission
was most encouraged by the interventions from many developing countries yesterday on their
willingness to undertake some kind of climate commitments, and their present activities to limit
greenhouse gas emissions.
Inspired by the notion raised during the session yesterday on the need to engage the private
sector the Commission want to put the attention to the EU emissions trading scheme, which is
the largest CO2 trading scheme in the world. The scheme covers installations responsible for
about 50 % of EU CO2 emissions, and has put a price on CO2 in Europe for the first time. This
is a very concrete and effective way to engage the private sector in reducing CO2-emissions, and
the scheme is open for other countries to join in.
The EU has also established ambitious time bound targets to expand the use of renewable energy
from 6 % of total energy supply in the late 1990's to 12 % in 2010. Renewable electricity
production is set increase from 12 to 21 % and biofuels from 0 to 5.75 % in 2010. These targets
are driving technology development and cost reductions, which will also be available for the rest
of the world.
These examples show how the EU is very concrete and ambitious in putting our climate
commitments into practice.