Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/1999-10-06-Speech-3-228"
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"en.19991006.7.3-228"2
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".
Ladies and gentlemen, it is an almost incomprehensibly large and difficult task we have before us. We are to assess the credibility of future scenarios which involve actually diverting the Gulf Stream and perhaps encountering a new ice age. On the other hand, we are today to try to make decisions about concrete measures which in certain cases may only take effect perhaps 50 or a 100 years in the future. We are being asked preferably to come up with specific proposals today and to speak about exactly what will happen. I believe that this is necessary because it is exactly what citizens in our respective countries are asking of us. We know that the problem exists. They too know that it exists, and they wonder: are you prepared to take decisions so that we can see a change?
What I have done today is to report on how the Commission and I want to tackle this problem, how we must analyse it, how we must work with a strategy and a programme in which we consider each greenhouse gas in turn and how exactly we are to manage the problems. There are already proposals on the table. The Kyoto Protocol contains a number of proposals concerning how we can proceed further and what measures need to be taken.
I am completely convinced that we need financial incentives. Money talks, as they say. That is when things become serious, and this is something which companies and industries understand too. On many occasions, expectations that jobs were to leave the country have proved unfounded because, instead, an environmentally friendly technique or a more efficient and environmentally-friendly use of energy has been promoted. Which is what we want to bring about.
I want to comment briefly on a number of questions which have been raised here. Where air traffic is concerned, the Commission is very conscious of the fact that this is a growing problem. We shall present a report before the end of the year. Those of us from the Environmental Directorate have of course been involved in this. In this connection, too, I am in favour of the use of financial instruments of control because we know that they are effective.
When it comes to trade in emission rights, I believe that we must first see a concrete proposal. I have said that I shall be presenting a Green Paper with just such a concrete proposal for a system. This will, of course, describe the national responsibilities which each country will have. It will not be possible for a country to buy itself free of obligations. There must be a system of rules through which, instead, countries honour their commitments in the most effective way. That is what is intended. I believe we should be on our guard against language. You see, words channel the way people think. If you use a concept such as “an exchange for trade in emission rights”, then I think that we are feeding the thought that this is to be a cynical system in which it will be possible for countries to buy themselves free of obligations. Now, this is definitely not my approach. Any system must be sensibly regulated, and we must make sure that a lot more interests are involved. If we do not have industry with us, if we do not have the citizens of the European Union with us and, above all, if we cannot take political decisions, then it is not going to work. In that case, we shall not succeed in this undertaking. We must mobilise on a much broader basis. In fact, I believe that, in general, our citizens are the ones who are more acutely conscious of these issues and that their willingness to act is greater than that of the politicians in our Member States just now. That is the big worry.
When it comes to an energy tax, I cannot judge exactly how long it is going to take to introduce this. It is something which we have to discuss in the Commission. If the fact of the matter is that it is going to take too long a time, then I am prepared to support a proposal to the effect that a number of countries go on ahead in order to show the way and demonstrate that it can be an effective way of achieving results where the issue of climate change is concerned.
I want also to take the opportunity to thank you for your interventions."@en1
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