EU Aims to Choke Carbon Emissions

ARTICLE TITLE: EU Aims to Choke Carbon Emissions
SOURCE NAME & WEB-LINK: Time Magazine http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1706123,00.html
BLOG SUBMISSION DATE & POST #: 1/25/2007
POST #: 2

SUMMARY:
EU Aims to Choke Carbon Emissions
Wednesday, Jan. 23, 2008 By LEO CENDROWICZ/BRUSSELS

Generally, the work of the European Union, or EU, doesn’t make the daily headlines for the U.S., but today the EU made a major announcement. The EU is creating a package of legislative measures regarding ways to combat the global climate changes related to global warming. These measures are designed to set a framework for national laws that would slash Europe's overall emissions of carbon dioxide, and would ensure that 20% of Europe's energy then comes from renewable sources like wind, solar and hydroelectric power. The proposals should also reduce Europe’s need for imported gas and oil supplies according to European Commission President José Manuel Barroso.

The energy-intensive sectors such as aluminum and cement have voiced fears that they could lose business to countries with less stringent rules on industrial emissions. The EU has made plans for this fear by including prospective tariffs on imports from countries that fail to sign up to a global climate change deal. "We want industry to remain in Europe. We don't want to export our jobs to other parts of the world," Barroso said.

Before these measures go into effect, they must be approved by the E.U.’s 27 member governments and the European Parliament. Resistance to these plans may largely come from the rich E.U. member-states such as France and Germany, because they will be asked to bear the brunt of the emissions cutting targets. By contrast, new and poorer countries in central and while poorer countries in Eastern Europe will be allowed to increase their emissions by up to 20% from 2005 levels, to “catch up” with the higher standard of living in western Europe. Therefore, the plans may not become law at all or will be modified and released no earlier than 2009.

ANALYSIS:
I think the EU is in the right track by desiring to reduce industrial emissions of greenhouse gases and their members’ reliance on imported oil and gas supplies. However, by calling for so many drastic measures at the same time, the plan is almost doomed to fail in its present form. Modifications will need to be made so that aspects of the plan are addressed in a timely manner over a specified timeframe. That way compliance to the regulations can be tangibly measured by standardized benchmarks.

Also, the distinction between the rich and poor members of the EU is surprising. The richer nations are penalized for high amounts of emissions while the poorer nations are encouraged to increase emissions. Is it not possible for the poorer nations to “catch up” to the richer nations in an environmentally friendly manner? Does the business of raising a standard of living always require pollution to increase as well? I think these are questions the EU needs to consider as they revise and plan to implement these legislative measures into functioning laws.