Chronology of EU and Member State Officials' Worry Over Kyoto

Spain 2002

In 2002, EU's Commissioner for Energy and Transport, Loyola de Palacio, noted that "energy in the EU is already expensive enough... We already have taxes on gasoline. Are we going to raise fuel taxes even more, knowing how much people like that?"

Italy December 2003

- Italian Industry Minister Antonio Marzano, while his country held the rotating EU presidency, added further fuel to the fire when he said the EU could suffer competitively if it was alone in implementing Kyoto. According to Reuters (Dec. 17), he went on, "Clearly we (energy and environment ministers) are going to have to pool our resources on this...if we are going to find a balance."

EU Commission December 2003

- "I think we are honest in describing that [Europe's 2008-12 commitments] will never be easy". Margot Wallstrom (European Voice, 3-10 December 2003).

Italy December 2004

- "The first phase of the protocol ends in 2012; after that it is unthinkable to go ahead without the United States, China and India," said Altero Matteoli, Italian minister of Environment. "Seeing as these countries do not wish to talk about binding agreements," he went on, "we must proceed with voluntary pacts and commercial partnerships."

- "The Kyoto Protocol is a test to see if it is possible to have a global treaty to regulate energy and the environment," Corrado Clini, director general of the Italian Ministry for the Environment and Territory, told reporters at an event just outside the United Nations' climate change conference (COP 10), and at a forum put on by the International Council for Capital Formation (ICCF). "I believe this test is now in process, and the test is suggesting that maybe the Kyoto Protocol is not the best mechanism for addressing global reductions (of greenhouse gas emissions) and economic development," Clini said.

EU Commission March 2005 (echoing Italy's refusal to propose stronger "second round")

- "The Kyoto Protocol requires the international community to initiate discussion on the global response to climate change after the end of the Protocol's 'first commitment period' (2008 to 2012) by the end of 2005.

· In anticipation of the international debate on the future of the global climate change regime, the European Council, at its meeting on 25 and 26 March 2004, announced that it will consider "medium and longer term emission reduction strategies, including targets" at its meeting in spring 2005.

The European Council's discussion comes in recognition of a growing awareness of the threat that climate change poses to our planet and the need to find responses that are environmentally effective while preserving and enhancing Europe's competitiveness."

"Action on climate Change Post-2012" http://europa.eu.int/comm/environment
/climat/future_action.htm

Tony Blair, Davos January 2005

"Political leaders worry they are being asked to take unacceptable falls in economic growth and living standards to tackle climate change. My view is that if we put forward, as a solution to climate change, something which involves drastic cuts in growth or standards of living, it matters not how justified it is, it simply won't be agreed to." 1/26/05

EEA January 2005

- Europe projects it will miss its collective Kyoto commitment of 8% below 1990 by 7.4%. That is, EU on track to reduce emissions by 0.6%.
http://reports.eea.eu.int/technical_report_2004_7/
en/Analysis_of_GHG_trends_and_projections_in_Europe.pdf

Spain April 2005

- La Gazeta de los Negocios reported on May 5 (2005), "Given the circumstances, [Spain's] Environment Minister, Cristina Narbona, had no alternative and recognized yesterday that the conditions where Spain stands in order to fulfill the mandates derived from Kyoto 'could not be worse'. However she promised that the Spanish government will continue working with the aim of reducing the cost of that bill," a cost that she previously denied exists.

Tony Blair April 2005

"I don't believe the way to tackle global warming is by introducing policies that will undermine our prosperity or economic growth" (Tony Blair, in a Channel Four interview, 25 April 2005).

Germany (Merkel) June 2005

- "Merkel to change energy policies" (transl.) Financial Times Deutschland, 8 June 2005 http://www.ftd.de/pw/de/9896.html

"…Kyoto Protocol on the test stand

In addition, Merkel plans to scrutinise the targets for the reduction of CO2 emissions set by the Kyoto Protocol: "We need a Kyoto plus." The US, who do not want to limit their emissions, would have to be included. According to Merkel, the red-green plans for stricter targets of the emission trade starting from 2008 would be also changed. Only Germany and Great Britain have committed themselves to lower their greenhouse gas output in this context. This, however, represents a competitive disadvantage."

CEPS (Commission funded-and-captured think tank, and their Oracle Egenhofer no less)

- "Q: So the EU is not a champion either in reducing emissions, is this what you are saying? A: They are actually bringing emissions down but their targets were the easiest...You could say that the US did a very bad job at negotiating [in Kyoto] while the EU did a good job....On the other hand, the EU, despite the targets they have set, is not getting there either.

"I think we all have to go back to the drawing board and understand better where we want to go." Christian Egenhofer, 2d June 2005 http://www.euractiv.com/Article?tcmuri=tcm:29-140339-16&type=Interview