The case for environmental policy integration
11. The European Union is generally recognised as
an important driver of environmental initiatives. However, the
European Environment Agency's (EEA) recent
State & Outlook report Environment
in the European Union at the turn of the century [4]
comments that the state of the European Union's environment remains
a serious concern.[5]
This report assesses the development of environmental quality
in the EU in the near future, ie tackling 2001 and it notes that
there has been real progress in some areas, for example in improving
river quality and tackling acidification. However, it also states
that "despite more than 25 years of Community Environmental
Policy - which has been successful in its own terms - general
environmental quality in the EU is not recovering significantly,
and in some areas it is worsening".[6]
For example, the EU is generating and
transporting more solid waste, despite its waste reduction objectives,
and the loss of soil through erosion and contamination is high.[7]
12. The EEA cites the unsustainable development of
some economic sectors as the major barrier to improvement and
wants to see them change. Few would dispute that many environmental
problems (and their solutions) are linked to current practices
in major economic sectors such as; agriculture, transport and
energy. It is now widely recognised that environmental policy
alone is not enough to promote sustainable development and there
is a need for joint action across all sectors, both preventative
and regulatory.
13. EU policies in these areas have often been
incompatible with, or even contradictory to, the EU's environmental
objectives. For example, EU subsidies have supported environmentally
damaging activities such as the drainage of wildlife-rich wetlands
for intensive agriculture or the depletion of fish stocks.
Mr Meacher told the Committee that nearly half of the stocks which
are fished by EU fleets are now below the minimum biologically
acceptable level.[8]
The Single Market, transport growth, and climate change are areas
where there is an obvious need for integration of environmental
concerns in other policy areas. Climate change was particularly
highlighted as a key area for policy co-ordination by the Heads
of Government at the Cardiff and Vienna European Councils. A large
part of the emissions reductions required to meet the EU's Kyoto
commitment[9]
will have to be achieved through measures regarding: energy, transport,
and agriculture.
14. The EEA's latest report warns that the process
of integrating environment into other policies is "destined
to face conflict".[10]
The EU has a dominant and vital role in the development of environmental
policy with 80-90% of national legislation now originating at
EU level.[11]
However, as Dr Andrew Jordan pointed out to us, although the
EU has been good at developing strong, end-of-pipe regulation
it has less leverage over the "driving force sectors of environmental
damage".[12]
We agree that the emphasis now needs to shift towards creating
a more integrated framework for a preventative approach to environmental
protection and conclude that the European Council, Council of
Ministers, Commission and individual Member States need to co-ordinate
their policies and working practices under strong leadership and
strategic direction to achieve real change.
The European Parliament also has an important role to play in
encouraging the Commission to implement its commitments and to
demonstrate this implementation clearly in relevant documents.
15. The Committee believes that the integration
of environmental policy into those sectors in which pressure is
put on the environment is vital to address the root causes of
environmental damage. Environmental policy integration (EPI) is
as important a tool for achieving sustainable development as strong
environmental protection regulation.
4 Environment in the European Union at the turn of the
century, European Environment Agency, 24 June 1999 Back
5 Ibid
p. 9 Back
6 Environment
in the European Union at the turn of the century, European Environment
Agency, 24 June 1999, p. 4 (Summary) Back
7 Ibid
p. 11 Back
8 Q155 Back
9 The
EU and UK signed the Kyoto Protocol in April 1998. The EU agreed
to an 8% reduction of the six greenhouse gases below 1990 levels
between 2008 and 2012. The Kyoto Protocol constitutes a revision
of the requirements of the1992 UN Framework Convention on Climate
Change Back
10 Environment
in the European Union at the turn of the century, European Environment
Agency, 24 June 1999, p.5 (Summary) Back
11 Metamorphosis
(Newsletter of the EEB), Issue No 14, May 1999, p. 8 Back
12 Q87 Back
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