Afternoon hectic, surprising and “historical” in the European Parliament. In an electric atmosphere (it is the case to say it), the European deputies had to decide, Wednesday, June 8, on eight proposals of the “climate package”. This European Union project, also known as the “target 55 adjustment”, aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% by 2030 compared to 1990 levels, and to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. Franceinfo returns to this project and the vote of MEPs in four questions.
Where does this European greenhouse gas reduction target come from?
The root is in the Paris agreement (in PDF)established at COP15 in late 2015. It gave birth to the European Union Green Deal (in English) or European “Green Deal”, initiated in 2019. The text materialized in this “climate package” presented by the European Commission in July 2021. Two major deadlines, with two major objectives, are set. By 2030, the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, within the European Union, by at least 55% compared to 1990 levels. Then, by 2050, carbon neutrality.
What are the main proposals on the table?
The “climate package” includes “several quite historical elements” “since it is the set of texts on the climate that will change the rules of the game”, estimated on franceinfo Pascal Canfin, MEP, president of the environment committee of the European Parliament. In total, this “package” has 14 measures. But only eight were put to the vote of the European Parliament on Wednesday.
Among the most divisive measures: the ban on the sale, within the EU, of new cars equipped with diesel engines, gasoline or hybrid from 2035. These are new vehicles. Second-hand sales are not affected. New thermal vehicles purchased before the ban will be able to continue to circulate. Why 2035? “Because the objective we have set ourselves to respect the Paris climate agreements is to be carbon neutral, to no longer emit CO2 in 2050. However, a car drives on average on European roads for fifteen years”exhibited on franceinfo Pascal Canfin, MEP, Chairman of the Environment Committee of the European Parliament.
The auto industry has already expressed fears. “We wonder about the realism of the decisions”declares to the regional daily The Public Good (paid item) Marc Mortureux, Managing Director of the French Automotive Platform. The builders “have already started because they understood that the path that was taken was the electrification of the markets. They will get there”estimated on franceinfo Flavien Neuvy, economist and director of the Cetelem Observatory. “But will people be able to buy them? If they’re cleaner but inaccessible, that’s a problem“, he warned.
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A key text provides enlargement of the European carbon market. The carbon market is a mechanism for trading CO2 emission rights (carbon dioxide, the main greenhouse gas). The European Union has set up such a market since 2005. It makes it possible to measure and control the emissions of industries and electricity producers and, ultimately, to reduce these emissions. The carbon market is also one of the EU’s most important levers for reducing the greenhouse gas emissions of its industry. There, the idea is to expand the carbon market to two new sectors: road transport and residential heating.
This text also provides for anot carbon border adjustment mechanism (MACF). This aims to “prevent companies from moving outside the European Union to avoid stricter emissions standards”explains the European Parliament. “Today, our manufacturers are paying more and more the price of carbon, whereas when you produce in China or Turkey, you don’t pay. It’s unfair and we’re putting an end to this injustice”, said on franceinfo Pascal Canfin. The implementation of this mechanism must go hand in hand with the end of the free quotas granted to heavy industries. But the latter wish to benefit from a double advantage: the carbon tax at the borders of the EU, and the maintenance of these free quotas.
The establishment of a social climate fund is linked to this text. “The new fund will benefit households, micro-enterprises and transport users who are vulnerable and particularly affected by the repercussions of the transition to climate neutrality”explains the European Parliament.
Other measures relate to European carbon sinksthat’s to say “the ability to maintain and protect our forests and change our agricultural practices to absorb CO2“summarized the Ministry of Ecological Transition during the summer of 2021.
Which measures are adopted and rejected?
To everyone’s surprise, the key text which provides for the reform of the European carbon market, the mechanism for adjusting carbon emissions at borders and the social fund for the climate, was rejected. The ecologists as well as the socialists and democrats of the S&D alliance challenged it, judging that the rules of the carbon market were not “not ambitious enough”as Green MEP Karima Delli wrote.
Thunderbolt in the European Parliament, the majority must review its copy. LREM and LR outvoted due to insufficiently ambitious carbon market rules.
The climate does not wait.
✅: 265
❌: 340 (it’s us)#fitfor55 pic.twitter.com/Amj6434Z1D— Karima Delli (@KarimaDelli) June 8, 2022
“What a terrible day. It’s a shame to see the far right voting with the Socialists and the Greens”, reacted Peter Liese (EPP), rapporteur for the rejected text. The German MEP fails to specify that they voted together, but for opposite reasons. The National Rally MEPs, for example, voted against the text not to try to improve its ambition but to fight against what they considered as “a set of punitive ecological measures” which undermines the purchasing power of the French.
LFI MEP Manon Aubry condemned “a total exercise in hypocrisy on the part of the right”. “Who, gentlemen of the EPP, voted with the extreme right to give power to lobbies and postpone the end of free quotas? Who, today, is responsible for denial in climate matters? It is you!” she launched in the Hemicycle. These reactions from the left and environmentalists refer to an amendment, pushed by the EPP, adopted on Wednesday. It demanded maintenance until 2034 of free quotas in the EU, in the name of business competitiveness. Except that this pushed back to the same deadline the full implementation of a carbon tax on polluting imports. After the vote in the parliamentary committee to abolish free quotas from 2030, this postponement to 2034 was a “Red line” for the Greens and the members of S&D (Socialists and Democrats), who therefore voted against the final text.
On his side, Pascal Canfin affirms that “the French Greens in the European Parliament are circulating an outright lie” which led to “rejection of all carbon market reform”.
The ban on the sale within the EU of new cars equipped with internal combustion engines from 2035 was however adopted. “I am very relieved and very happy with the result, I believe it represents a good compromise”reacted the rapporteur of the text, Jan Huitema, after a round of applause. “The fuel lobbies did everything to weaken the text but we held on”, reacted the ecologist MEP Marie Toussaint. “We are taking a historic decision that will lead us to a new era, that of climate neutrality. This is a major victory!” welcomed Pascal Canfin.
What will happen now?
The retoqués texts are not buried. The reform of the European carbon market, the mechanism for adjusting carbon emissions at borders and the social fund for the climate will be renegotiated in committee. They could return to the Hemicycle next fall.
“We are going to start these renegotiations now, to return to plenary as soon as possible with a stable compromise”, said Pascal Canfin. The left says it is ready for talks. “If you want solid pro-European pro-climate majorities, it can be built, it cannot be improvised. We are ready to work with you to achieve this”, launched Philippe Lamberts (Greens).
As for the proposals adopted, such as that of the ban on the sale of new cars equipped with diesel, gasoline or hybrid engines, they must now be discussed with the Member States of the EU before being implemented.