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Environment Council 20 February 2007

I and Ian Pearson, Minister for Climate Change and Environment will represent the UK at the Environment Council in Brussels on 20 February. At this Council, which is an important stepping-stone on the road to the Spring European Council, the German Presidency will be seeking to adopt three sets of Council Conclusions; on EU objectives for the further development of the international climate regime beyond 2012, on the Environment Council's contribution to the Spring Council and on the Thematic Strategy for the Sustainable Use of Pesticides. The Council Conclusions on climate change are aimed at further developing the medium and long-term EU strategy to combat global climate change and will serve as a response to the Commission Communication ““Limiting Global Climate Change to 2 degrees Celsius—the way ahead for 2020 and beyond””. The UK considers that the EU and other developed nations need to show leadership if we are to reach an international agreement on climate change, and we will be calling for the EU to commit to a 30 per cent. reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2020, as part of an international agreement. In the meantime, we support the Commission's proposal for the EU to commit unilaterally to cut its greenhouse gas emissions by at least 20 per cent. by 2020—as a springboard to catalyse the more ambitious international action necessary to avoid dangerous climate change. The Environment Council's contribution to Spring Council will draw on the climate change Conclusions, linking the Commission Communication to the Strategic Energy Review, eco-innovation and better regulation. The UK very much welcomes the recognition that the EU needs mutually supportive climate change and energy strategies if we are to tackle the problem of global climate change. We recognise the contribution that appropriate measures taken on, for instance, energy efficiency, renewables and the development of biofuels can make to growth, jobs and sustainable development. The UK supports the importance of promoting eco-innovations if we are to move towards a low-carbon economy and the application of better regulation principles in order to ensure that we achieve our environmental goals in the most cost-efficient, transparent way. The Thematic Strategy on the Sustainable Use of Pesticides contains two main legislative elements; a proposal for a regulation to replace the current Pesticides Authorisations Directive (91/414/EEC) and a proposed new Directive on the Sustainable Use of Pesticides. This is one of seven thematic strategies under the 6th EU Environment Action Programme, and aims to minimise the risk to health and the environment from the use of pesticides. The UK's overall objective is to negotiate a proportionate and balanced package of measures which strengthens protection of human health and the environment across the EU as a whole. Many of the proposed measures in the sustainable use directive are already in place in the UK on either a statutory or voluntary basis. The Council will hold three policy debates; on the inclusion of aviation emissions in the EU Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS), on the Commission's CO2 emissions from cars strategy and on the Soils Thematic Strategy and proposed Directive. On the inclusion of aviation emissions into the EU ETS, Ministers will be asked to consider the geographical scope of the proposal, the allocation methodology to be considered in setting caps, whether there is a need to consider regional variations in implementing the proposal and whether the scheme should consider non-CO2 effects. The UK has consistently called for the inclusion of aviation in the ETS and we very much welcome that the Commission has issued its proposal. On geographical scope, we support a model under which all departing flights are covered and we are considering in detail the Commission's proposal for all arriving flights. The UK is, at this stage, content for aviation in EU ETS to exclude non-CO2 impacts. The Council will discuss the Commission's Communication on a Community Strategy to reduce CO2 emissions from cars. The UK will stress the importance of a robust policy instrument to follow the current CO2 voluntary agreements for new cars to really drive down new car CO2. We believe it is vital to maintain a clear, measurable and accountable fuel efficiency target for automotive manufacturers. The UK would also like to see a long-term strategy that sets out a challenging but achievable target for improving new car fuel efficiency beyond 2012. If other measures (such as eco-driving) are to be taken by other stakeholders under the banner of the Integrated approach', these should be separate measures outside of the fuel efficiency target. The Council will also be asked to adopt a proposed Decision concerning the provisional prohibition of the use and sale of a genetically modified strain of maize by one of the EU's member states. The UK will vote in favour of the proposed Council Decision based on the opinions of various scientific bodies (including the European Food Safety Authority and the UK's Advisory Committee on Releases to the Environment) which have concluded that there is no new relevant scientific evidence in support of the safeguard action. The Council will also be asked to adopt a proposed Decision concerning the placing on the market of a carnation that is genetically modified for flower colour. The UK will vote in favour based on the available scientific evidence. Under 'Any Other Business', the Commission and the Presidency will update Council on adaptation to Climate Change including on the ““Symposium on Climate Change and the European Water Dimension, Vulnerability - Impacts -Adaptation””, the Presidency will update Council on the preparations of the Ninth Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity, the Commission will update Council on the next meeting of the International Whaling Commission. Business and biodiversity and the First Conference of the Parties to the Framework Convention on the Protection and Sustainable Development of the Carpathians have been requested by member states.