EU FOCUS

Exclusive Interview with Vice President of European Parliament Ulrike Lunacek

May 4, 2016   |   Brussels

IMAGE: greensefa

Ulrike Lunacek is Vice President of the European Parliament, Member of the Greens/EFA Group in the European Parliament and Head of Delegations of the Austrian Greens in European Parliament. Known for her commitment to equal rights and fairness to all citizens of the EU, regardless of gender, race or sexual identity, Ulrike has been long been exhorting the importance of sustainability within the European Parliament and the EU.

 

Sustain Europe managed to catch up with Ulrike to ask her a few questions about the European Parliament's pledge to go 100% carbon neutral by 2016 and what steps the EU will be taking in light of the recent Paris Agreement. Here is the full transcript of our conversation with one of Europe's most progressively sustainable politicians:

 

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SUSTAIN EUROPE: Ms Lunacek, the European Parliament has pledged to go carbon neutral this year. Given the sheer enormity of its 751 MEPs' parliamentary activities and responsibilities, how practical do you think this task will be in the real world?

 

ULRIKE LUNACEK: With this step towards 100% carbon neutrality the European Parliament is leading by example and playing its part in limiting the impacts of climate change, which is a great signal from inside the European Institutions. For the first time ever, we are including not just the flights of all staff but of all Members of the European Parliament in our CO2 offsetting scheme, at Gold Standard level, showing that we are willing to live up to our goals.

 

SUSTAIN EUROPE: The last time the European Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS) underwent changes was back in 2009. Since then we have witnessed the rapid development of international climate legislation, most notably in aspects of the recent Paris Agreement. In your capacity as the person responsible for the EMAS, do you see a fourth revision of the EMAS Regulation on the horizon?

 

ULRIKE LUNACEK: EMAS is a successful tool in the area of environmental protection. The interest in the environmental performance of organizations is continually increasing. I just recently visited a technical high school in my home town Vienna which is also EMAS certified! Operating without taking into account the environmental consequences of their actions has become almost impossible for organizations. Therefore, organizations with a proactive approach to environmental challenges look for ways to continually improve their environmental performances - and that is when they go for an EMAS registration. EMAS is the premium environmental management tool to achieve this. It leads to enhanced performance, credibility and transparency of registered organizations. More than 4,000 organizations and approximately 7,500 sites inside the EU are EMAS registered.

 

The European Commission is considering a technical update of the EMAS-regulation in 2017, taking into account the recently updated ISO-regulations which have been integrated into the EMAS regulation.

 

SUSTAIN EUROPE: The EMAS is currently a voluntary environmental management instrument based on a harmonised scheme throughout the EU. As the EU steps up efforts to combat climate change in the wake of the Paris Agreement, what possibilities do you see of EMAS moving away from a voluntary compliance model and taking on a more commitment-oriented approach?

 

ULRIKE LUNACEK: The Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS) is a voluntary environmental management instrument, which was developed in 1993 by the EU. Organizations join on a voluntary basis, but then they commit to constant improvement in the assessment and management of their environmental performance. The scheme is globally applicable and open to all types of private and public organizations. In order to register with EMAS, organizations must meet the requirements of the EU EMAS-Regulation. In other words: Participation is voluntary, but with registering organisations commit to comply with the EMAS Regulation, constantly improve their performance and to establish an Environmental Management System, including, inter alia, possible targets and actions to reduce carbon emissions, in order to keep their EMAS registration.

 

The main idea behind EMAS is to get better every year, to set goals and to work with self-commitments. The high amount of EMAS-registrations show clearly that this approach is working and is delivering clear results. Just to highlight of few of the key benefits: EMAS has a high impact on the environmental and financial performance through a systematic framework (e.g. increased resource and / or waste reduction), on risk and opportunity management (e.g. legal compliance, regulatory relief), it enhances the credibility, transparency and reputation ( e.g. environmental statement, key performance indicators, verification and validation through independent environmental verifiers) and also motivates and empowers employees (improved involvement of staff, higher awareness, often leading to innovations).

 

I think the idea/philosophy behind EMAS should be maintained. EMAS should remain an incentive for organisations to do more for environmental protection, but it should not be considered in isolation. It is one tool in the context of a comprehensive approach and a very well developed and advanced system of environmental legislation at EU and Member State level, with ambitious requirements and obligations for individuals as well as for public and private organizations.

 

Environmental legislation should be regularly updated and complemented, if necessary, but The commitment to constantly improve exists, and that is a very positive approach, including the motivation of staff. Therefore I don't see the need for a comprehensive revision of the EMAS regulation at the moment.

 

SUSTAIN EUROPE: We hear that there might be plans underway for the European Parliament and Council to vote on a draft proposal which will internalise the car service for MEPs. Should such a proposal ever come to pass, can you tell us if we can expect the incorporation of sustainability measures such as fleet electrification?

 

ULRIKE LUNACEK: The Bureau of the European Parliament has by majority decided to internalise its driver service. We are at the starting point of defining the implementation of this decision. I have been arguing to - before internalising - evaluate the effects of the recent start of the direct fast train from the EP (Bruxelles Luxembourg) to the airport. And what I also have been stressing in the debates is to put benchmarks in a future call for tender for cars in order to constantly upgrade the sustainability of vehicles esp. eCars and hybrid cars.

 

SUSTAIN EUROPE: Finally, one last question: Where do you see the EU's role in ensuring the world can tackle climate change and limit the global average temperature rise to 1.5C?

 

ULRIKE LUNACEK: Last week the Green/EFA Group in the European Parliament was publishing five points to make the Paris Agreement reality:

 

1. Early EU ratification of the Paris Agreement

 

China and the US have announced they intend to ratify the Paris Agreement in the coming months, probably before the end of the year. In Paris, the EU was part of the "High Ambition Coalition" pushing for an ambitious deal. To avoid being side-lined, the EU must ensure that Member States collectively and individually ratify the Paris Agreement without delay.

 

2. Rein in shipping and aviation emissions

 

To achieve the goal of well below 2°C and pursue a 1.5°C goal, all sectors of the economy will need to contribute to emission reductions. The International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) has promised to deliver by October this year a global market-based mechanism to tackle international aviation from 2021. The EU must ensure the ICAO scheme is in line with the Paris Agreement goals. In the absence of equal action under the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) the EU ETS should be extended to cover ships travelling to and from EU ports.

 

3. 2020 targets reality check

 

The EU is on track to over-shoot its greenhouse gas reduction target for 2020 by a large margin. According to EEA official figures, in 2015 the EU had already decreased its greenhouse gas emissions to 23% below 1990 levels. The EU targets should be adjusted to reality and to the promise to up the commitment to 30% when there is an international agreement and comparable climate action.

 

4. Final call to fix the EU Emissions Trading System

 

The Commission's current proposal for the 2030 review of the ETS is not even on a path to the lower end of the 80-95% emissions reduction target for 2050. The proposal also fails to tackle the oversupply resulting from the over-achievement of the 2020 target. The legislators need to fix the policy by:

 

• permanently removing 2 billion allowances from the market

 

• limiting any carry-over of Kyoto Protocol period over-achievement post 2020

 

• auctioning all allowances

 

5. Stop fossil subsidies

 

Public support to fossil fuels amounts to about €300bn a year, including state aid, subsidies, tax and other measures. This must stop. The same resources could be spent on creating sustainable jobs in a climate-resilient, resource-efficient economy through investment in energy efficiency and renewable energies.

 

 

SUSTAIN EUROPE: Ms. Lunacek, thank you very much for your time.

 

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