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Environment Council

I and my right hon. Friend the Minister for Climate Change and Environment represented the UK at the Environment Council in Brussels on 20 February. Sarah Boyack, Scottish Deputy Minister for the Environment and Rural Development also attended. The Council agreed a set of conclusions on climate change, aimed at further developing the medium and long-term EU strategy to combat global climate change. The Council conclusions affirmed an EU commitment to an independent greenhouse gas emissions reduction target of at least 20 per cent. by 2020 and a conditional 30 per cent. reduction target in the context of an international framework, all using 1990 as the base year. The UK welcomes this agreement as it sends a strong signal to business thereby encouraging the investment necessary to put the EU on track to a low carbon energy future. It also sends a strong message to our international partners that the EU is willing to take the lead on the development of a post-2012 framework to combat climate change. The Environment Council also finalised its contribution to spring Council, drawing on the agreed climate change conclusions and linking the Commission Communication to the strategic energy review, eco-innovation and better regulation. The UK very much welcomes the Council conclusions’ recognition that the EU needs mutually supportive climate change and energy strategies. On targets for biofuels and renewable energies, the conclusions confirmed the view taken earlier by EU Energy Ministers. 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. Ministers agreed Council conclusions on the thematic strategy on the sustainable use of pesticides. The UK supports the conclusions, which should pave the way for negotiation of a proportionate and balanced package of measures which strengthens protection of human health and the environment across the EU as a whole. Ministers gave their initial views on the Commission’ proposal to include aviation emissions into the EU ETS. The UK supported the inclusion of all flights arriving at and departing from the EU from the beginning of the scheme (and not according to the phased approach proposed by the Commission), calling for aviation to be included in the scheme promptly—even before 2011 if practicable. The UK highlighted that, in a global industry a global solution must be the ultimate goal, but that the EU could not allow a situation where a failure to make progress globally prevented us from taking the positive action we know to be necessary. Given the international nature of aviation, the UK believes that a proportionate and workable scheme is not possible based on member state cap setting and we therefore supported a central EU-wide cap for aviation. Ministers gave their initial views on the Commission’s communication on a community strategy to reduce CO2 emissions from cars. The UK supported the Commission’s intention to bring forward mandatory proposals, although we highlighted the need for these to be based on thorough impact assessment and in full consultation with stakeholders. The UK noted that binding legislation did not need to be more costly or less flexible than voluntary targets. What is important is how the targets are implemented. The UK welcomed the complementary measures to reduce emissions proposed by the Commission, as these are consistent with the integrated approach, but stressed that these must not distract from the need for substantial further progress on new car fuel efficiency. Ministers also gave their initial views on the soils thematic strategy and proposed directive. The UK supported the objectives of the thematic strategy as it sends a powerful message about the critical importance of soil to all aspects of human activity and to the sustainability of the plant’s ecosystems, but stressed that the proposed directive should take account of existing legislation in the field and contribute to regulatory simplification. The UK also highlighted the possibility of significant compliance costs and urged member states and the Commission to learn from the lessons of implementing legislation in other areas. The Council found a qualified majority opposing the proposed decision concerning the provisional prohibition of the use and sale of a genetically modified maize in Hungary. The safeguard action will, therefore, stay in place. The UK voted 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 could not find a qualified majority in favour or against a proposed decision concerning the placing on the market of a carnation that is genetically modified for flower colour. The UK voted in favour based on the available scientific evidence. Under ““Any Other Business””, the Commission presented a mandate to represent the Community at the International Whaling Commission, in order to safeguard the moratorium on commercial whaling. The UK supported the Commission’s call for member states who had not done so to join the IWC but we doubted a formal mandate would help. The UK highlighted that the Commission was only an observer to the IWC and did not enjoy the same full speaking rights as individual member states.