Carmen Bunzl - Universidad Pontificia Comillas

Chapter 4. Case Study: Spain 187
In March 2007 the energy and climate change package adopted by the
Commission earlier that year was put forward by the European Council. It
included:
- an independent EU commitment to achieve a reduction of at least 20% in
the emission of greenhouse gases by 2020 compared to 1990 levels and
the objective of a 30% reduction by 2020, subject to the conclusion of a
comprehensive international climate change agreement 1 ;
- a mandatory EU target of 20% renewable energy by 2020 including a 10%
biofuels target.
With this independent commitment, the EU showed leadership in the fight
against climate change, while at the same time indicating its willingness to go
even further in the context of an ambitious international agreement.
The issue of how to distribute the emission reduction burden internally
became again important. The Council conclusions in March 2007 decided that a
differentiated approach to the contributions of the Member States was needed,
which should reflect fairness, be transparent and take into account the national
circumstances of the Member States.
An energy and climate change package has once again been presented by the
European Commission the 23 rd of January 2008 (EC, MEMO/08/34). It includes:
- a proposal amending the EU Emissions Trading Directive (EU ETS);
- a proposal relating to the sharing of efforts to meet the Community's
independent greenhouse gas reduction commitment in sectors not
covered by the EU emissions trading system (such as transport,
buildings, services, smaller industrial installations, agriculture and
waste);
1 The EU would increase their target to 30% “provided that other developed countries commit
themselves to comparable emission reductions, and economically more advanced developing countries
also contribute adequately according to their responsibilities and respective capabilities”.
Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingeniería ICAI Carmen Bunzl Boulet Junio 2008