Date of release : 10-03-2005

Policy area : Environment Environment

Event : Environment Council

Lucien Lux, Minister for the Environment presided over the "Environment" Council which met in Brussels on Thursday, 10 March 2005. The Council adopted two conclusions which constitute its contribution to the European spring Council. These two conclusions concern the fight against global warming and the mid-term review of the Lisbon Strategy.

The "Environment" Council adopted conclusions on climate change with a view to setting new objectives for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions for the period after the expiry of the Kyoto protocol after 2012. They involve medium- and longer-term strategies for reducing greenhouse gas emissions assorted by targets, which will be submitted to the European spring Council. Lucien Lux stated on this issue: "I am very pleased about this decision. We have managed to reach an agreement on a very important issue for the present and above all the future of our planet. This agreement relates to the objectives and strategies we wish to adopt in order to combat global warming. We have shown the great solidarity that exists in the European Union on this matter. I am delighted about this agreement, which particularly crucial for the continuation of our fight against global warming. Therefore, I should like to call upon all heads of state and government of the EU to take into account the decision of today’s "Environment" Council."
This decision, which will be submitted to the European Council of 22 and 23 March 2005, obliges industrialised countries to reduce their emissions from 15% to 30% by 2020, and from 60% to 80% by 2050, compared to the 1990 levels. The aim is to limit global warming to two degrees compared to pre-industrial levels.
Furthermore, the "Environment" Council invites the European Council to regularly examine the issue of  medium- and longer-term strategies for reducing emissions, assorted by targets. To this end, two aspects are essential: the need to include more countries in the post-Kyoto mechanism, and to ratify the objective to limit the rise in temperature to 2°C compared to pre-industrial levels.
On this issue, Lucien Lux confirmed that: "everyone around the table recognised that failure to reach an agreement today would have meant a bleak day for the environment. The Luxembourg Presidency has always been convinced that, if we want other countries to board our ship, we must clearly indicate in which direction the vessel will be sailing. Of course, it is also important to persuade other international partners to join our ship. We shall be carrying out this persuasion work in the months ahead. Therefore, this decision will be extremely beneficial. Today’s message clearly states that we have to move ahead urgently. It is a very important decision." 

With regard to the "Environment" Council’s contribution to the European spring Council on the Lisbon Strategy, the conclusions adopted contain a series of political messages that focus on the environment’s contribution to the growth and employment objectives.
First and foremost, the Council underlined the equal importance and mutual strengthening of the three dimensions of the Lisbon Strategy: economic, social and environmental. It will invite the European Council to recognise the:

• positive contribution of the environment policy towards growth and employment;
• need to integrate the environmental considerations into the growth and employment process planned by the Lisbon programme;
• need to undertake the measures required to rise to the environmental challenges so as to avoid higher costs and irreversible damages.

The contribution also pinpoints the action priorities in the environmental field.
Lucien Lux welcomes this agreement, which sends a clear signal to the heads of state and government of the EU, by underlining that "the environment is not an obstacle to a more competitive Europe. It can, on the contrary, be a catalyst for growth and competitivity."