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Swedish Presidency of the European Union: Summary of the Work in the Environment Council

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Swedish Presidency of the European Union: Summary of the Work in the Environment Council INFORMATION LEAFLET FROM THE SWEDISH PRESIDENCY OF THE EU Swedish Presidency of the European Union: Summary of the work in the Environment Council Ministry of the Environment 23 December 2009 During the autumn of 2009, Sweden has Swedish EU Presidency. The issues were discussed in been President of the EU Council of Ministers. both formal and informal contexts during the autumn. The climate issue has been highlighted from a broader perspective together with an eco- efficient economy, biodiversity and the marine The climate issue – the epicentre of environment. the Presidency The climate issue has been central to the entire Three formal meetings in the Environment Council Swedish Presidency. Greenhouse gas emissions affect has been held during the Swedish Presidency, two of the climate irrespective of where on Earth they oc- which were ordinary meetings: 21 October in Luxem- cur and no country can solve the climate problem on bourg and 22 December in Brussels. An extra Environ- its own. The UN Framework Convention on Climate ment Council meeting was also held on 23 November Change forms the foundation of international climate in Brussels in order to prepare and unite the envi- cooperation. The related Kyoto Protocol contains ronment ministers prior to the UN Climate Change undertakings on emission reductions up until 2012. Conference in Copenhagen. At the council meeting After lengthy negotiations at the UN Climate Change on 21 October, EU environment ministers, under the Conference in Copenhagen on 7–18 December 2009, leadership of Swedish Minister for the Environment, heads of state and government reached an agreement, Andreas Carlgren, agreed on a clear mandate which called the ‘Copenhagen Accord’. constituted the basis for the EU’s position in the cli- mate talks. The EU has been pushing hard for a climate agreement ever since negotiations got under way in Political climate agreement falls short of EU goals Bali in 2007. The political agreement reached in Copenhagen falls At the Council meeting on 22 December, Council short of the EU’s goals. The EU’s ambition for the cli- conclusions were adopted on the combination effects mate change conference was to reach a binding politi- of chemicals, regional marine issues, the implementa- cal agreement that would achieve emissions reductions tion of the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region and that are large enough to keep the goal of limiting a biodiversity after 2010. The EU environment ministers temperature increase to under 2º Celsius within reach. also discussed the results of the UN Climate Change The emissions reductions contained in the agree- Conference, COP15, in Copenhagen. ment are insufficient in the short term, and there is In addition to the formal meetings in the Environ- no long-term goal for limiting emissions. Ambiguities ment Council, EU environment ministers also met in remain in many areas. These include the fundamental Åre on 24-25 July at an informal ministerial meeting. issue of how a new, legally binding agreement is to be The EU’s responsibility and scope for making the reached that covers states that are not already party to transition to an eco-efficient economy as well as the the Kyoto Protocol. One of the positive results from climate negotiations were discussed at this meeting. Copenhagen is financing for the developing countries’ The environment ministers also got together in Ström- climate efforts. The industrialised countries commit- stad on 7-9 September for a high-level meeting on ted themselves to contributing USD 30 billion in 2010– biodiversity, ecosystem services and climate change. 2012 to ‘fast start funding’ for adaptation and emissions reductions, and measures to reduce deforestation in Four central environmental issues developing countries. The EU and Japan will provide just over USD 10 billion per year, and the USA will The climate, an eco-efficient economy, biodiversity and contribute USD 3.6 billion. It also became clear at the marine environment including the Baltic Sea were the conference that the rapidly growing developing the most important environmental issues during the countries will commit themselves to certain measures, Swedish Presidency of the European Union La Présidence suédoise de l’Union européenne Sveriges ordförandeskap i Europeiska unionen and that they are prepared to report on these measures Presidency look forward to an analysis by the European in a transparent way. Much work remains to continue Commission in view of the informal meeting of envi- to build on the agreement and to reach a global, legally ronment ministers in Seville in January 2010. binding agreement that is far-reaching enough to meet the two-degree target. Transition to an eco-efficient economy During the Swedish Presidency, the spotlight has been Climate meetings during the Swedish Presidency turned on the climate issue from a broader perspec- As holder of the Presidency of the European Council, tive. One important issue has been how to facilitate Sweden’s main task has been to lead the Union so that the change-over to an eco-efficient economy. From the EU could take the best possible action to reach a a European perspective, the issue is important since global climate agreement in Copenhagen. Sweden’s task as EU President was not only to lead the During the Swedish Presidency, the issue of climate EU within the framework of international climate change was discussed in many forums. The Copen- negotiations, but also lead discussions on the next step hagen conference was preceded by negotiating mee- of the Lisbon Strategy, the overarching strategy for EU tings with UN officials in Bangkok and Barcelona, growth, employment and sustainable development, as and meetings in several different ministerial council well as on the EU’s sustainability strategy. configurations and in the European Council. Under Making the transition to an eco-efficient economy the leadership of the Swedish Presidency, the EU has before the rest of the world can give Europe a signi- clarified and advanced its positions. ficant competitive edge. The worldwide demand for natural resources with its impact on the environment will continue to grow at the current global rate. This Council conclusions on the climate will probably lead to higher market prices for raw At the Environment Council meeting on 21 October, materials, a greater need for solutions for efficient use EU environment ministers adopted conclusions on a of energy and natural resources and a higher demand common EU position prior to the UN Climate Change generally for good environmental performance in all Conference in Copenhagen on 7-18 December. Under industries. the conclusions, the EU fully supports a long-term target for emission reductions of 80-95 percent by 2050 A competitive edge to be gained from early for developed countries compared to 1990 and shipping transition to an eco-efficient economy and aviation must reduce their emissions by 20 and 10 percent respectively by 2020 compared to 2005. The The economic crisis provides opportunities for transi- conclusions from the Council meeting also make clear tion which the EU must utilise. The world needs to that using the surplus of assigned emissions allowan- alter the ways people build, live and transport things. ces from the Kyoto Protocol has a major impact on An early transition makes it possible for the EU to the final and total emissions reductions achieved. The reach climate and energy targets and also achieve fi- conclusions were followed up at the European Council nancial advantages which will allow the business sector meeting on 29–30 October. to become more competitive. The strong growth of An extra Environment Council meeting was held the environment technology industry over the last few on 23 November aimed at preparing the environment years shows the potential. The investment now being ministers ahead of the climate negotiations in Copen- made must contribute to Europe’s overarching aim of hagen in December. sustainable development, e.g. through efforts in the The environment ministers gathered for a meeting fields of renewable energy and efficient energy systems, of the Environment Council on 22 December to con- energy-efficient buildings and community planning, sider the results of the climate change conference in sustainable transport, new environmental technology, Copenhagen. The ministers noted that the challenge research, education and innovation. At the same time, of climate change has not diminished and that future we must work further on far-reaching reforms of envi- work must follow a speedy timetable with a clear dead- ronmentally hazardous subsidies and develop methods line. The EU must continue to show ambition and lead- and instruments in order to include the environmental ership. To this end, it is necessary to review, assess and costs in the product price, e.g. through carbon dioxide learn from the conference in Copenhagen. As a first tax. step, the Swedish Presidency and the incoming Spanish Three informal ministerial meetings on the The economic values of ecosystem same theme services and biodiversity were put on During its Presidency, Sweden has arranged three the agenda informal ministerial meetings with the eco-efficient economy as a common overarching theme (energy, The UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) is a environment and competition ministers). The focus of global agreement on the conservation and sustainable these meetings was how coordinate the political agen- use of biodiversity. During 2009-2010, the Convention’s das for climate change, energy efficiency, innovation objective to significantly reduce the loss of biodiversity and competitiveness – with the aim of creating syner- by 2010 is being evaluated, and discussions are ongoing gies and safeguarding growth and sustainability. about goals and visions post 2010. The objective and The Swedish Presidency highlighted how com- the CBD strategic plan have played a key role in in- mitted and forceful environmental work can lead to creasing the focus on results in international work on competitive advantages.
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