"EU ENERGY SECTOR MAKES INSUFFICIENT PROGRESS IN REDUCING ITS ENVIRONMENTAL
IMPACT"
AGENCIA EUROPA DE
MEDIOAMBIENTE
31 de Mayo de 2002
El consumo energético en la Unión Europea se está incrementando principalmente
a causa del crecimiento de transporte. La eficiencia energética crece
a un ritmo menor y las energías renovables necesitan expandirse al menos
el doble de la tasa que presentan hasta ahora, todo ello para conseguir
la tasa de crecimiento esperada en el mercado energético prevista para
2010.
Estas son las conclusiones principales que se extraen del primer informe
energético que realiza la Agencia Europea del Medioambiente.
La producción y consumo de energía generan efectos sobre el medioambiente,
que afectan a los cambios climáticos y a los ecosistemas. Es
por ello que la política en materia de protección medioambiental
se prevé insuficiente.
Según el director de la Agencia Europea de Medio Ambiente, Domingo Jiménez-Beltrán,
reconoce que algunos países de la Unión se preocupan más que otros en
respetar el medioambiente.
Con el presente documento se pretende dar una guía para que los
gobiernos apliquen una política medioambiental correcta y homogénea
a toda la Unión Europea.
Acceda al informe de la EEA en:
http://www.enervia.com/documentos/eni_env.pdf
Texto Agencia Europea de Medioambiente
Energy consumption in the European Union is rising, mainly because of
transport growth, energy efficiency is improving only slowly and renewable
energies need to expand by at least double the current rate if targets
for boosting their market shares by 2010 are to be reached.
These are among the main conclusions from the European Environment Agency's
first report on energy and the environment in the EU, published today.
Energy is central to social and economic well-being, but its production
and consumption put considerable pressures on the environment. These
include contributing to potentially dangerous changes in the global
climate, damaging natural ecosystems, tarnishing the built environment
and harming human health.
"The report shows that, while there have been some successes, overall
progress in building environmental protection needs into energy policy
has so far been insufficient," said Domingo Jiménez-Beltrán, EEA Executive
Director.
He added: "It also demonstrates that some countries and sectors in the
EU are doing much better than others. The EU could improve its overall
record if those Member States whose performance is below average were
to learn from the leaders.
"There is scope for further improvement even in areas where the EU is
already ahead of the United States, such as the energy intensity of
the economy and emissions of climate-altering greenhouse gases," Mr
Jiménez-Beltrán continued.
EU emissions of greenhouse gases fell by 3.5% between 1990 and 2000,
but without additional counter-measures they are likely to rise back
to around their 1990 level by the year 2010. This is because of a projected
increase in energy-related emissions, driven mainly by strong demand
for transport fuels.
The EU would consequently be at risk of missing its target, set under
the Kyoto climate change Protocol, of cutting greenhouse gas emissions
to 8% below their 1990 levels by the 2008-2012 period.
Furthermore, energy consumption levels are expected to continue increasing
beyond 2010. This will make greenhouse gas emission cuts difficult to
achieve unless policy action is taken now to change long-term patterns
of energy production and consumption.
The report uses indicators of progress to assess how effectively environmental
policies and concerns are being integrated into energy policies in the
EU and its Member States. Integrating the environment into other policies
is a stated goal of the EU treaty.
Energy and Environment in the European Union points out that, despite
increases in energy taxation, most energy prices in the EU have dropped
since 1985.
The report warns that this trend is likely to discourage energy saving
efforts and may even encourage energy consumption unless policies are
put in place to improve energy demand management and integrate energy's
"external" costs - to the environment and human health - into its price.
The external costs of electricity, for example, are estimated at 1-2%
of the EU's gross domestic product.
On the brighter side, the report shows that measures to cut air pollution
from energy use have been successful and that discharges of oil into
the sea have been reduced, although they still put significant pressure
on the marine environment.
Manufacturing industry has successfully "decoupled" its energy consumption
from its economic growth, but it is the only sector to have done so.
Its energy consumption in 1999 was about the same as in 1990.
Another positive element is that several countries have led the way
in demonstrating the effectiveness of specific measures in promoting
growth in renewable energy and in improving energy efficiency.
Mr Jiménez-Beltrán said: "I am convinced that this first report
on energy and the environment will prove its added value for the governance
of energy policy. The successes and failures it highlights should help
to make the case for implementing policies, for example in the area
of taxation, to steer the liberalisation of energy markets towards sustainability."
http://org.eea.eu.int/documents/newsreleases/energy-en