Hassi, who presented the elements of her report yesterday (3 June) at a Parliament workshop, wants to "turn around" the effort sharing proposal.
The EU should go for a 30% reduction target "that will be reviewed down to -20% if there is no international agreement," according to a document distributed by Hassi to fellow MEPs.
A 30% initial target is in direct contrast to the Commission's plans, presented on 23 January, which are entirely based on member states reducing their CO2 emissions 20% by 2020. The target could only be upped to 30% over the same period when UN-led negotiations produce a global CO2 reduction deal, according to the EU executive's proposals.
Another contentious issue relates to the use of the Kyoto Protocol's Clean Development Mechanism (CDM). The MEP wants to limit member states' use of emissions reductions credits obtained through these types of investments in developing country projects, amidst growing concerns that such schemes do not contribute significantly to global CO2 reductions.
Under the Commission's proposals, member states would continue to be entitled to meet part of their targets by financing CDM projects, assuming a global climate change deal is reached by 2010. But the use of such credits would be limited to 3% of member states' total emissions in 2005.
Hassi wants to reduce this figure to 1%, and wants to change the principle behind the use of CDM credits so that third country projects are used primarily in addition to, rather than as a replacement of, domestic efforts.
Jürgen Salay of the Commission's environment service gave an early reaction to Hassi's plans during the 3 June workshop. Member states are likely to be "rather critical" of a 30% target in the absence of an international deal, he said. And the Commission "cannot backtrack" on the proposed regime for using CDM credits, since a majority of the projects that would be used towards the 2020 deadline have already been approved for the 2008-2012 trading period of the EU Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS), Salay said.
The effort sharing issue is likely to be a key bone of contention in upcoming negotiations under the incoming French EU Presidency, which is under pressure to agree a deal on the climate and energy package before the end of 2008 (EurActiv 03/06/08).
A number of member states from Central and Eastern Europe have also complained that the effort sharing proposals are biased towards older EU member states, and are calling for an overhaul of the proposals (EurActiv 02/06/08).
Hassi's report will be made available online in the coming days, and will be voted upon by the Parliament's Environment Committee on 7 October.
