Parliament provides climate policy outlook

The European Parliament adopted a non-legislative resolution this month recommending detailed measures that should be undertaken to combat climate change. The resolution includes a proposal for a long term target for the building sector of net zero-energy performance in new residential buildings by 2015, and in new commercial and public buildings by 2020. This goes further than European Commission proposals.

The resolution, which was adopted with 570 votes in favour 78 against and 24 abstentions, underlines MEP fears that “climate change is both more rapid and more serious in terms of its adverse effects than was previously thought”. Other measures proposed in the report include a binding goal of 20% improvement in energy efficiency by 2020, the creation of a European renewable energy community and incentives for citizens to reduce emissions in an affordable way. Parliament set up a Temporary Committee on Climate Change in April 2007; the publication of this report represents the completiono f the committee’s work.

The Draft Resolution is available here:

http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=REPORT&language=EN&reference=A6-2008-0495#title1