Réactions mitigées suite à l’adoption de l’accord climatique par le Parlement

The centre-right EPP-ED Group of MEPs talked of an "historic victory for the European Parliament," which puts Europe "in the frontline in the fight to save the environment" at UN climate talks in Copenhagen next year. The Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe also called it an "historic vote". 

The Conservatives in the European Parliament gave "two cheers" to the package, expressing disappointment over the weakening of the original Commission proposals. The Greens, on the other hand, took the view that this was simply a starting point from which the EU would have to upgrade its effort enormously.

The European Commission issued a statement in support of the final outcome, describing the vote as an important contribution towards reaching an ambitious international climate agreement next year.

"This was my second happiest day in this Commission. The happiest will be Copenhagen," Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas said in Strasbourg. He claimed the integrity of the original environmental objectives had been maintained and warned Europeans not to be too critical, as negativity could seriously harm the EU's prospects of getting the new US administration behind an ambitious climate policy.

Green NGOs afforded the Parliament some harsh criticism for failing to ensure the ambitions of the original climate proposals were respected in the final agreement. 

WWF said the package was "poisoned by the large amount of carbon credits allowed from non-European countries," focusing actions away from Europe and giving a bad example to the rest of the world. The NGO criticised EU leaders for imposing a minimal "take or break" deal on the Parliament, limiting its room for manoeuvre to improve decisions. 

Greenpeace warned that the climate package could not be taken as a basis for the EU's negotiation position in Copenhagen in 2009, as it did even guarantee the achievement of the EU's emissions reduction target of 20%, let alone 30%, which it said was generally recognised as the bare minimum to combat global warming.

"The Parliament has marginalised itself by lacking the courage to make even small changes to the compromises negotiated by the EU summit last Friday. Europe promised leadership on climate, but so far it has led us up the garden path," said Joris den Blanken, Greenpeace EU's climate and energy policy director.

European industry, on the other hand, welcomed the watering down of the Commission's climate ambitions. The European Regions Airline Association (ERA) celebrated a "victory of common sense over environmental extremism," because aviation does not have to participate in the EU ETS regime until 2012.

Business Europe, however, lamented that the deal would still impose higher costs on companies, particularly SMEs, in the form of higher energy and CO2 prices and a greater administrative burden.

Euro Chlor was concerned about unclear safeguards for the European chlor-alkali industry against carbon leakage, which threatens to shift production to regions with less stringent environmental rules.

The European Photovoltaic Industry Association (EPIA) hailed the package as a "crucial legal framework" providing investment security in the solar sector. Nevertheless, it criticised exemptions from the auctioning of emissions permits under the EU ETS, which "demonstrates that the 'polluter pays principle' is not a reality yet".

The Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions (CPMR) thanked the Parliament for ensuring the the Renewable Energy Directive asserted the role of regional and local authorities "more forcefully" than the initial proposals. Some measures in the legislation successfully addressed both climate change and territorial cohesion, key concerns for maritime regions, it said, but called for provisions for adequate financing.

The European Heat Pump Association (EHPA)  welcomed the European Parliament's "positive vote", stressing the importance of "finally accepting ambient heat as a renewable energy".  EHPA believes the decision constitutes "full recognition of heat pumps as a renewable technology".

"The decision taken by the Parliament is a milestone for reaching the 20-20-20 goal of the European Union," said EHPA chair Karl Ochsner. "Thanks to the contribution potential by the high tech technology of heat pumps, it now seems realistic to meet the ambitious targets of energy policy and pollution control," Ochsner continued.