The European Union THE EUROPEAN UNION Lesson 9

The European Union THE EUROPEAN UNION Lesson 9 How is the EU addressing the issue of climate change?

The European Union Effects on the EU from Climate Change Some impacts of global warming on the environment: • Greater threats to marine bio-systems and loss of habitat • Waterlogging of lakes and wetlands • Thawing of glaciers and upward shift of tree line and increased rock fall • Reduced ski season • Increased salinity of inland seas • Biodiversity losses • Severe fires in drained peatland forests • Increased drought • Increased land loss in estuaries and deltas

The European Union Effects on the EU from Climate Change Some impacts of global warming on human activity: • Increased coastal erosions and flooding • Increased vulnerability of infrastructure and urban areas to extreme weather • Decreased crop yield and suitable crop areas • Increased land loss in estuaries and deltas • Reduced water availability • Less hydropower • Increased health effects of heat waves • Increased energy demand in summer

The European Union Climate change – a global challenge To stop global warming, EU leaders decided in 2007 to: • reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 20% by 2020 (30% if other developed countries do likewise) • improve energy efficiency by 20% by 2020 • raise the share of renewable energy to 20% by 2020 (wind, solar, hydro power, biomass)

The European Union EU Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) • Since January 2005, carbon dioxide (CO 2) is a tradable commodity • ETS places a 'cap' on the amount of carbon dioxide that participating installations can emit every year • So far, only energy intensive industries are covered, e. g. steel works, oil refineries and power stations • More efficient installations can sell their remaining allowances • Less efficient installations must face a hefty fine or buy allowances from others • The ETS fosters research on greater energy efficiency and should ultimately reduce pollution

The European Union EU funded programs include: • The Intelligent Energy-Europe Program (IEE), with a € 730 million (US$950 million) budget allocated for 2007 -2013 • LIFE, the EU’s financial program supporting environmental conservation projects. Since 1992, LIFE has co-financed some 3115 initiatives, such as: – Wind technology – Energy recovery from landfill bio-gas – Habitat restoration and recovery – Biodiversity

The European Union Addressing Global Challenges Environmental Protection • A leader in global efforts to protect the environment, maintaining rigorous and comprehensive systems at home. • Plays a key role in developing and implementing international agreements. • Executing a “cap and trade” system to reduce greenhouse gas emissions • Takes the lead in the fight against global warming with the adoption of binding energy targets (cutting 20% of the EU’s greenhouse gas emissions by 2020). Source: German Information Center USA

The European Union Improving Health and the Environment Pollution knows no borders – EU action has helped bring: • Cleaner bathing water • Much less acid rain • Lead-free gasoline © Van Parys Media • Free and safe disposal of old electronic equipment • Strict rules on food safety from farm to fork • More organic farming • More effective health warnings on cigarettes • Registration and control of all chemicals (REACH)