Download - The European Union THE EUROPEAN UNION Lesson 9 How is the EU addressing the issue of climate change?
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The European Union
THE EUROPEAN UNIONLesson 9
How is the EU addressing the issue ofclimate change?
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The European Union
Effects on the EU from Climate ChangeSome impacts of global warming on the environment:
• Greater threats to marine bio-systems and loss of habitat
• Waterlogging of lakes and wetlands
• Thawing of glaciers and upward shift of tree line and increased rock fall
• Reduced ski season
• Increased salinity of inland seas
• Biodiversity losses
• Severe fires in drained peatland and forests
• Increased drought
• Increased land loss in estuaries and deltas
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The European Union
Effects on the EU from Climate ChangeSome impacts of global warming on human activity:
• Increased coastal erosions and flooding
• Increased vulnerability of infrastructure
and urban areas to extreme weather
• Decreased crop yield and suitable crop areas
• Increased land loss in estuaries and deltas
• Reduced water availability
• Less hydropower
• Increased health effects of heat waves
• Increased energy demand in summer
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The European Union
Climate change – a global challengeTo stop global warming, EU leaders decided in 2007 to:
• reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 20% by 2020
(30% if other developed countries do likewise)
• improve energy efficiency by 20% by 2020
• raise the share of renewable energy
to 20% by 2020 (wind, solar, hydro
power, biomass)
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The European Union
EU Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) • Since January 2005, carbon dioxide (CO2) is a tradable commodity
• ETS places a 'cap' on the amount of carbon dioxide that participating installations can emit every year
• So far, only energy intensive industries are covered, e.g. steel works, oil refineries and power stations
• More efficient installations can sell their remaining allowances
• Less efficient installations must face a hefty fine or buy allowances from others
• The ETS fosters research on greater energy efficiency and should ultimately reduce pollution
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The European Union
EU funded programs include: • The Intelligent Energy-Europe Program (IEE), with a €730 million
(US$950 million) budget allocated for 2007-2013
• LIFE, the EU’s financial program supporting environmental conservation projects. Since 1992, LIFE has co-financed some 3115 initiatives, such as:
– Wind technology
– Energy recovery from landfill
bio-gas
– Habitat restoration and recovery
– Biodiversity
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The European Union
Environmental Protection
• A leader in global efforts to protect the environment, maintaining rigorous and comprehensive systems at home.
• Plays a key role in developing and implementing international agreements.
• Executing a “cap and trade” system to reduce greenhouse gas emissions
• Takes the lead in the fight against global warming with the adoption of binding energy targets (cutting 20% of the EU’s greenhouse gas emissions by 2020).
Addressing Global Challenges
Source: German Information Center USA
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The European Union
Improving Health and the Environment
• Cleaner bathing water
• Much less acid rain
• Lead-free gasoline
• Free and safe disposal of old electronic equipment
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• Strict rules on food safety from farm to fork
• More organic farming
• More effective health warnings on cigarettes
• Registration and control of all chemicals (REACH)
Pollution knows no borders – EU action has helped bring: