§ The Duke of Montroseasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether the framework for phase I of the European Union Emissions Trading Scheme contains separate targets for the reduction of carbon dioxide emissions and for greenhouse gas emissions, against which any progress can be measured. [HL1521]
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Lord Whitty)Carbon dioxide is the only greenhouse gas covered by the Greenhouse Gas Emission Allowance Trading Directive in phase I (2005–07) of the EU Emissions Trading Scheme. However, there is 69WA provision for the expansion of the scheme to include other greenhouse gases in phase II (2008–12) and beyond.
The Government's proposed amendment to the UK national allocation plan increases the level of effort required from operators covered by the scheme. The allocation of allowances is around 5 per cent below the finalised emission projections in the amended NAP, compared to 0.7 per cent below the provisional projections in the NAP approved in July 2004. This puts the UK ahead of most other member states in terms of effort against business as usual.
§ The Duke of Montroseasked Her Majesty's Government:
How many European Union member states have submitted their national allocation plans under the European Union Emissions Trading Scheme; and how many have been approved by the European Commission. [HL1522]
§ Lord WhittyAll 25 member states have submitted their national allocation plans for phase I (2005–07) of the EU Emissions Trading Scheme. The Commission has approved 21 national allocation plans (eight on 7 July 2004, eight on 20 October 2004 and five on 27 December 2004). The Commission has yet to announce decisions on NAPS from Poland, the Czech Republic, Italy and Greece.
§ The Duke of Montroseasked Her Majesty's Government:
What percentage reduction from 1990 levels of carbon dioxide emissions across Europe will be achieved by the national allocation plans for phase 1 of the European Union Emissions Trading Scheme that have been submitted so far; and whether this represents satisfactory progress towards the 2012 target set in the Kyoto protocol. [HL1523]
§ Lord WhittyThe Greenhouse Gas Emission Allowance Trading Directive states that prior to 2008, the total quantity of allowances to be allocated shall be consistent with a path towards achieving or overachieving each member state's target under the EC burden sharing agreement (the joint fulfilment of commitments under the EU's Kyoto protocol target) and the Kyoto protocol.
The Commission has not published information on progress made by member states in meeting their Kyoto targets. However, the UK Government have commission consultants, Ecofys, critically to analyse member states NAPs within which an assessment of the cap compared to emissions in 1990 has been made. Information on member states on which we have information is detailed in the following table. The information alone is not sufficient to determine accurately what percentage reduction on 1990 levels is being achieved through phase I of EU ETS across the EU as a whole, as information is not available for all member states.
70WAA quantitative analysis of the impact of EU ETS alone is not sufficient to determine the level of progress across the EU as member states may have other policies in place to bridge any gap, including purchase of project credits. Additionally member states may choose to use phase II of the scheme to meet their Kyoto targets, and as a result allocations may be tighter for the period 2008–12.
Member states1 Cap compared to emissions in 19902 Kyoto commitment2 1 Austria + 28.6 per cent -13 per cent 2 Belgium N/A -7.5 per cent 3 Denmark +4 per cent -21 4 Estonia -40 per cent -8 per cent 5 Finland + 44 per cent 0 per cent 6 France +3.5 per cent 0 per cent 7 Germany -21 per cent -21 8 Greece +31.8 per cent +25 per cent 9 Hungary -11 per cent -6 per cent 10 Ireland N/A + 13 per cent 11 Italy +14.4 per cent -6.5 per cent 12 Latvia -44 per cent -8 per cent 13 Lithuania + 52 per cent 8 per cent 14 Luxembourg -58.6 per cent -28 per cent 15 Netherlands + 20 per cent -6 per cent 16 Poland +10.54 per cent -6 per cent 17 Portugal + 49 per cent + 27 per cent 18 Slovenia -8 per cent. (1986 base year) -8 per cent 19 Spain +29.95 per cent +15 per cent 20 Sweden + 55 per cent +4 per cent 21 UK -12 per cent -12.5 per cent 1 Incomplete data for other Member States.
2 Data source: Ecofys Analysis of the National Allocation Plans for the EU Emissions Trading Scheme, August 2004.