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MEPs disappointed over weak climate change agreement
A huge disappointment is what the European Parliament delegation to the COP15 said about the agreement on climate change which was reached at last in Copenhagen. The outcome and the procedure show an urgent need to reform the UN working method.
Read more : MEPs disappointed over weak climate change agreement …."The European Union must stand firm on its climate change objectives and must not lose sight its offer of a 30% reduction in EU greenhouse gas emissions by 2020", head of the EP delegation to the Copenhagen climate change summit Jo Leinen said on Wednesday, after meeting the EU's Swedish Presidency.
Read more : Climate change: EU must stick to ambitious goals ….On Monday, the second week of the Copenhagen Climate Conference, Jo LEINEN, head of the official European Parliament delegation, stressed that the delegation will push for ambitious goals for CO2 reduction by 2020 as well as for sufficient funding for a worldwide climate protection policy after 2013.
Read more : Final sprint for a worldwide Climate Agreement ….Climate change: European Parliament at COP15 - a voice of ambition
The Copenhagen Climate Conference is the most important meeting this decade for global climate protection. The European Parliament will be represented there by an official delegation. Over the years Parliament has become a voice of ambition, calling for EU leadership in the fight against climate change.
Read more : Climate change: European Parliament at COP15 - a voice of ambition ….Everyone can fight climate change by not eating meat one day a week, urged Sir Paul McCartney at a European Parliament public hearing on "Global Warming and Food Policy: Less Meat = Less Heat" on Thursday. The panel of global warming and food policy experts, including Chairman of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Dr Rajendra K. Pachauri, urged legislators to encourage people to do more individually to fight climate change.
Read more : Global warming: less meat = less heat …."Less Meat = Less Heat" with Sir Paul McCartney and Dr Rajendra K. Pachauri
On Thursday 3 December the European Parliament hosts a major event on global warming and food policy when the chairman of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Dr Rajendra K. Pachauri and environmental activist Sir Paul McCartney will urge legislators and experts to focus on what an individual can do to fight climate change, for example by eating less meat.
Read more : "Less Meat = Less Heat" with Sir Paul McCartney and Dr Rajendra K. Pachauri ….Indoor smoking bans need to be complete, say MEPs
Smoking bans in all enclosed workplaces, restaurants, public buildings and public transport need to be complete if they are to protect workers and non-smokers and help smokers to quit, said Parliament on Thursday.
Read more : Indoor smoking bans need to be complete, say MEPs ….Parlamentet vill EU att fortsätter leda kampen mot klimatförändringar
Parlamentet hoppas på en bindande och ambitiös överenskommelse vid klimattoppmötet i Köpenhamn i december i år. Förhoppningen är att överenskommelsen kommer leda till mål för att utsläppen ska minska i industri- och utvecklingsländerna. Man vill också se finansiella löften och straff för dem som inte följer överenskommelsen.
Läs mer : Parlamentet vill EU att fortsätter leda kampen mot klimatförändringar ….The sale and use of pesticides needs to be monitored more strictly as part of EU plans to ensure they are used more safely. To this end, Parliament on Tuesday adopted new rules for the dissemination of statistics on the sale and use of pesticides.The vote (581 in favour, 19 against, 3 abstentions) was on a third-reading agreement reached between Parliament and EU government representatives.
Read more : Better statistics on the use of pesticides …."US and China disappoint the world", says Jo Leinen
"The biggest polluters turn out to become the biggest failures for climate protection", commented EP Environment Committee Chair Jo Leinen (S&D, DE), on this weekends events. On the contrary, the December climate conference in Copenhagen "needs to become a success", stressed Mr Leinen, who will chair the EP's Copenhagen delegation.
Read more : "US and China disappoint the world", says Jo Leinen ….Global Warming Hearing with Sir Paul McCartney and Dr Rajendra K. Pachauri
The European Parliament will host a major event on global warming and food policy on 3 December where Chairman of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Dr Rajendra K. Pachauri and environmental activist Sir Paul McCartney will urge legislators and experts to focus on what an individual can do to fight climate change, for example by eating less meat.
Read more : Global Warming Hearing with Sir Paul McCartney and Dr Rajendra K. Pachauri ….Copenhagen conference: Commissioner Dimas quizzed on EU strategy
The challenges awaiting the EU at the forthcoming UN Climate Conference in Copenhagen were presented by Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas to MEPs of the Environment Committee on Wednesday. Members then quizzed the Commissioner on the financing and efficiency of new measures to combat climate change.
Read more : Copenhagen conference: Commissioner Dimas quizzed on EU strategy ….CO2: free allowances for industries that might otherwise leave the EU
Industries that might leave the EU and hence escape its CO2 emission trading rules, could get up to 100% of their CO2 emission allowances for free, to encourage them to stay. A list of industry sectors and sub-sectors to be eligible for free allowances under the revised Emission Trading System (ETS) from 2013 was backed by the Environment Committee on Wednesday, in a bid to prevent relocation-driven "carbon leakage".
Read more : CO2: free allowances for industries that might otherwise leave the EU ….This week a delegation from the European Parliament's Environment and Industry committees met members of the US Congress and other stakeholders in Washington DC to discuss climate and energy issues with a view to the International Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen in December 2009. Today, Thursday, at the conclusion of the visit, Environment Committee Chairman Jo Leinen (S&D, DE) made the following statement:
Read more : Climate protection: "We can do it" ….Ambitious emission targets and funding commitments the key for Copenhagen
Reaching an ambitious international agreement at the Copenhagen climate change conference will require emission reduction targets for developed and developing countries, financing commitments and sanctions for non-compliance. This is the view of the EP Environment Committee, which argued on Monday that future generations might not be able to control climate change if global action is further delayed.
Read more : Ambitious emission targets and funding commitments the key for Copenhagen ….H1N1 flu: more info needed on health risks and vaccine safety
The public needs to be better informed on H1N1 flu risks and how to avoid them, Environment and Public Health Committee MEPs told Health Commissioner Androulla Vassiliou on Wednesday. Given the low number of clinical trials done with H1N1 vaccines, MEPs also raised vaccine safety concerns. European Medicines Agency Executive Director Thomas Lönngren assured them that the risk of side effects was minimal.
Read more : H1N1 flu: more info needed on health risks and vaccine safety ….Consumer rights: questions raised about harmonisation
The total harmonisation of consumer rights in the EU, as proposed by the European Commission, could lead to a levelling-down of certain rights, according to MEPs and experts who met on Tuesday to discuss the issue.
Read more : Consumer rights: questions raised about harmonisation ….The EP has called for a rapid release of EU aid funds to help victims of this summer's devastating forest fires in Southern Europe, especially in Greece. MEPs also want more cross-border European action in the fight against such disasters. Furthermore, they criticise some Member States for not having done enough to prevent the fires.
Read more : Forest fires: call for more coordinated action ….
Det finns ett pedagogiskt mervärde med att barn och ungdomar spelar dataspel. Samtidigt kan vissa spel vara olämpliga för vissa åldersgrupper. Enligt ett förslag från Europaparlamentet, borde föräldrar ha en "röd knapp" för att kunna stänga av spel som är olämpliga för barnen.
Läs mer : Dataspel: en röd knapp för föräldrar ….MEPs say EU must take the lead and speak with one voice on climate change policy
In adopting a resolution on the EU strategy for a comprehensive climate change agreement in Copenhagen and the adequate provision of financing for climate change policy, MEPs underline that the EU must maintain a leading role in international climate policy. The House stresses the importance of the EU speaking with one voice in order to maintain its credibility in this role.
Read more : MEPs say EU must take the lead and speak with one voice on climate change policy ….
Utsläppen från industrianläggningar ska minska genom minimikrav och användning av "bästa tillgängliga teknik". Europaparlamentet gav idag sitt stöd till framtida lagändringar för att förebygga och begränsa industriföroreningar.
Läs mer : Stöd för minskade industriutsläpp ….Stricter rules to keep illegal timber off the EU market
Stricter rules on timber sold in the EU are needed to combat illegal logging - the main cause of deforestation, said the Environment Committee on Tuesday. And illegal timber suppliers must pay penalties that reflect the degree of environmental and economic damage, it added.
Read more : Stricter rules to keep illegal timber off the EU market ….Step up eco-labelling, design and management, says Environment Committee
Plans to step up use of the EU "flower" Ecolabel, widen eco-design rules to include products not consuming energy and simplify the EMAS eco-management scheme were backed by Environment Committee MEPs today.
Read more : Step up eco-labelling, design and management, says Environment Committee ….Incandescent light bulbs: Environment Committee backs phase-out plan
Plans gradually to replace incandescent light bulbs with energy-saving or halogen ones by 2012 were backed by the Environment Committee on Tuesday morning, when it rejected a move to block them.
Read more : Incandescent light bulbs: Environment Committee backs phase-out plan ….On-line gambling: it's up to Member States to stop fraud
Rules governing on-line gambling should not be laid down by the EU, as Member States are quite capable of regulating the industry themselves, a majority of MEPs decided in a vote at the Internal Market Committee on Wednesday. A minority of Members disagreed strongly and will submit an alternative report in plenary.
Read more : On-line gambling: it's up to Member States to stop fraud ….Parents should have a "red button" to disable a game they feel is inappropriate for their child, says the EP Internal Market Committee. The aim is not to demonise games, which have a broadly beneficial effect on the mental development of children, but to help parents choose suitable content for their offspring.
Read more : Video games: a red button for parents ….
Europaparlamentet godkände idag detaljerade rekommendationer för att motverka klimatförändringar på lång sikt. Ledamöterna håller fast vid målet på max 2 graders temperaturökning och vill minska växthusgasutsläppen med 25-40 procent till år 2020 och med 80 procent till år 2050.
Läs mer : Klimatförändringar år 2050 - arbetet börjar idag ….Europaparlamentet antog idag en skriftlig förklaring* om prioriteringar i kampen mot Alzheimer och efterlyser en europeisk plan.
Läs mer : Krav på europeisk plan i kampen mot Alzheimer ….Cut industrial emissions further, but more flexibly, say MEPs
Pollutant emissions from thousands of industrial installations throughout the EU must be further reduced, but more flexibly, said Environment Committee MEPs on 22 January. The committee backed a Commission proposal to update and strengthen existing rules, but inserted new provisions for introducing EU-wide emission limits, greater flexibility in granting permits, excluding small plants, and better informing the public.
Read more : Cut industrial emissions further, but more flexibly, say MEPs ….Europaparlamentet godkände idag ett förbud mot diklormetan (DCM) i färgborttagningsmedel som används av konsumenter. Tack vare ledamöternas påtryckningar kommer undantagen för yrkesmässig användning av ämnet begränsas.
Läs mer : Giftigt ämne i färgborttagningsmedel förbjuds ….Parlamentet godkände idag ny EU-lagstiftning för växtskyddsmedel. Som ett resultat väntas antalet tillgängliga bekämpningsmedel öka men vissa kemikalier som används i dessa medel förbjudas på sikt. Genom dagens beslut etableras även en strategi för säkrare användning av bekämpningsmedel i vardagen.
Läs mer : Striktare regler för bekämpningsmedel ….Pesticides legislation: the final lap
The EU's new legislation on pesticides could soon be in place. Next week in Strasbourg MEPs will vote on two reports endorsing the final shape of the legislation as agreed in negotiations with the Council in December. The legislation will increase the number of pesticide products available in Member States while in due course banning the use of certain dangerous chemicals in these products. Measures to ensure the safer use of pesticides in daily life will also be introduced.
Read more : Pesticides legislation: the final lap ….EP seals climate change package
After eleven months of legislative work the European Parliament gave its backing to the EU's climate change package. The package aims to ensure that the EU will achieve its climate targets by 2020: a 20% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, a 20% improvement in energy efficiency, and a 20% share for renewables in the EU energy mix. This background note gives an overview of the legislation required.
Read more : EP seals climate change package ….