EU greenhouse gas rules
MEPs vote to strengthen EU rules on how emissions are accounted and reported
The European Parliament today adopted two important legislative reports on how greenhouse gas emissions are accounted for and reported in the EU. The Greens gave a general welcome to the outcome, whilst regretting that rules on how forest and land emissions are accounted were not more ambitious. Commenting on the outcome, Green MEP and EP draftsperson on the monitoring and reporting of greenhouse gas emissions Bas Eickhout said:
"The revised rules adopted today will strengthen how greenhouse gas emissions are accounted and reported by EU member states. This is clearly important in ensuring the environmental integrity of EU climate policies and we welcome today's vote as a step forward.
"Importantly, EU member states will now have to report annually on their global climate aid contributions; this is crucial for the EU's credibility in the context of international climate negotiations. Governments will now have to report on policies taken to meet the EU's long-term climate goals and 2050 emissions reduction commitments; this is crucial to ensure these efforts do not slip.
"The inclusion of cropland management under EU rules on how land emissions are accounted for is a major step forward for the accuracy and integrity of overall emissions reduction efforts. However, the failure to include wetlands - a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions - is a glaring oversight and we regret that EU governments were not willing to accept this."
