Environment, Temporary Committee on Climate Change, Agriculture and Rural development, Petitions

Monday, January 28, 2008

Commissioner Dimas will speak before Parliament’s Environment Committee to discuss the legislative package proposed by the European Commission. The committee will also discuss consider a draft opinion on Protection of the environment through criminal law.   It will also exchange of views on a possible first reading agreement with Council of the revisions of the controversial directive on Monitoring and reduction of greenhouse gas emissions from fuels (road transport and inland waterway vessels), also known as the fuel-quality directive.        

The Temporary Committee on Climate Change will consider a draft Interim report on the scientific facts of climate change: findings and recommendations for decision-making by Karl-Heinz Florenz (EPP-ED).

Tuesday, January 29, 2008

The Agriculture and Rural development committee will have a discussion with Mr. Jarc, Slovenia’s minister of agriculture. The committee will also vote on a own-initiative report by Csaba Sandor Tabajdi (PES, HU) on Sustainable  agriculture and biogas. The report suggests that biogas (based on animal manure and organic waster) is a vital energy source that contributes to the sustainable development of the economy, agriculture and the rural community and highlights the need to revise existing EU legislation and develop a cohesive biogas EU policy.

The Environment committee will also meet with Mr. Jarc. It will vote on by Anne Ferreira (PES, FR) on the Commission Green paper on market-based instruments for environment and related policy purposes. The paper aims to launch a discussion on the market-based instruments in the European Community and their role in delivering EU objectives on environmental sustainability and climate change.

The Committee on petitions - in association with the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy - will hold a public hearing on "the Nord stream pipeline and its impact on the Baltic sea."   MEP's, European commissioners and stakeholders will discuss on environmental impact and on the energy, industry and the strategic dimension of the Nord Stream Pipeline.

The Temporary Committee on Climate Change will hold a public  hearing on  climate change and water with a special focus on sustainable development. Achim Steiner, Executive Director of the UN Environment Programme and UN Under-Secretary-General will deliver the keynote speech. Other speakers include President of Ecosocial Forum Europe (and former EU commissioner) Franz Fischler, FAO official Henning Steinfield, and Riccardo Petrella of the International Committee for the World Contract on Water.

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