6 November - reviewing key climate and energy policies and the role of the European Commission
This session introduced the 2008 package of climate and energy policies focusing in detail on the development, next steps and future implementation of the EU emissions trading Directive and the new renewable energy Directive. The latter included a detailed analysis of the challenges associated with biofuels and use of biomass for energy.
The session culminated with insights from Jorgen Henningsen, a renowned expert on EU climate action, considering where next for EU climate action, including Copenhagen and beyond. His key messages included:
- that the coming years will require considerable additional effort on the
part of the Parliament to push for action on climate
- that Copenhagen is now unlikely to agree a clear way forward
- that the EU 20 per cent emissions target for 2020 is very low compared to business as usual and that we should be substantially more ambitious if we are to deliver our commitments to emission reduction for 2050.
Presentations and materials are available to download below:
- An introduction to the Renewable Energy Directive and next steps including the future debate on biofuels and bioenergy - Catherine Bowyer, Senior Policy Analyst, IEEP
- An introduction to the EU Emissions Trading Scheme - Kavita Ahluwalia - E3G and assistant to Avril Doyle - rapporteur overseeing the review of the EU ETS
- An introduction to the role of the European Commission at EU and international level - Jorgen Henningsen, Former Director of DG Environment and from 2001 Principal Advisor of DG Energy and Transport, Head of the European Commission's negotiations on the UN Climate Convention and the subsequent Kyoto Protocol. Jorgen Henningsen's thoughts on the future of climate and energy policy are summarised in the EPC publication 'EU Energy and Climate Policy - Two Years on'
In support of participants the following materials are available:
- Guide to the EU institutions and decision making processes
- A-Z Quick Guide to important EU terms and concepts
- Glossary of commonly used EU acronyms
- Key EU climate change legislation
- Summary of implementation of the 2008 climate and energy package in the EU 27, initial insights - A Review by IEEP
- An introduction to National Renewable Energy Action Plans - the key monitoring mechanism for assessing delivery of the renewable energy Directive
- An introduction to the key upcoming debates on biofuels - including ILUC and the implementation of environmental sustainability cri_ia