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6 May 1992
Doc. 6611
O P I N I O N
on a concerted European preparation of the United Nations
Conference on the Environment (Brazil, June 1992) 1
(Rapporteur : Mr TIURI, Finland, National Coalition)
1. The resolution and the report presented by the Committee on the Environment, Regional Planning and Local Authorities consider many environmental problems facing mankind at present. The report clearly shows that the Council of Europe has been engaged in the activities of protection and improvement of the environment since the beginning of its foundation.
2. As stated in the resolution, the motion for a concerted European preparation was tabled in September 1991 at the time when the preparations of the UN Rio Conference were almost in their final stage. Hence, few things are left for a concerted preparation.
3. The Science and Technology Committee endorses the view that a common European position will be highly needed in the follow-up of the UN conference when implementing the recommendations adopted by the conference.
4. The report of the Committee on Environment lists three subjects in which the Counciil of Europe should make significant contributions to environmental protection in Europe. These are :
- preservation and management of natural resources (fresh water and soil protection etc)
- creation of public awareness through the "Naturopa-Center"
- promotion of ideas and principles for an effective environmental law-system.
These are considered in the report to have more European dimension than climate change, the depletion of ozone layer etc.
5. The Committee on Science and Technology agrees that the listed problems are important in Europe. However, they are not the center topics of the UN Conference on Environment and Development. Our committee is of the opinion that the most difficult and dangerous environmental problem at present is climate change which is caused by man made green house gas emissions into the atmosphere. This view is held also by most of the experts and researchers in the field of environment.
6. There are still some uncertainties but climate scientists agree that if the green house gas concentrations will grow as at present, the global mean temperature will increase several degrees before the end of next century. As a consequence many species could become extinct because the rate of climate change will be too fast for the species to adjust. Severe drops in harvests can be expected in some areas which now supply good crops. The global mean sea level will rise affecting significantly the habitability of coastal regions and causing large water resource problems.
7. With such perspectives ahead it is not possible to postpone action. Therefore climate change is one of the main topics of the UN Conference. The Conference aims for reaching an international agreement on limiting it. The countries of Europe together with other industrialised countries are the prime culprits in causing the problem. Hence, it is of utmost importance for Europe to discuss about the problem and the means of reducing green house gas emissions.
8. Climate change is a difficult problem because its solution requires thorough changes in the basic structure of modern societies, energy production and use. This is due to the fact that the most important green house gas, carbon dioxide, is mainly caused by production of energy by fossil fuels. For stabilising climate these emissions must be reduced globally by over 60 %. The allowed yearly average carbon dioxide emissions will then be O.9 tonnes per capita (assuming world population of 10 billion) as compared to the present emissions of 10-15 tonnes in many industrialised countries.
9. On the other hand the seriousness of the climate change problem is not yet realised by most of the decision makers and the public has quite different beliefs about the environmental dangers.
10. The Committee on Science and Technology has been concerned about climate change for several years. In 1989 the Assembly accepted Resolution 926 on the danger of climatic changes and the protection of ozone layer based on the report prepared by the Committee. In 1990 the Committee organised the 7th Parliamentary and Scientific Conference in Ottawa on global environmental change and the role of science and technology (Doc. 6364).
11. When considering the results of the Ottawa Conference on January 1991 the Assembly gave to the Committee on Science and Technology an Order (No. 458) to prepare a report about climate change for discussion in the Assembly. The report (Doc. 6550) has been completed and was accepted by the Committee in the fall in 1991. The debate in the Assembly has been postponed for the Committee on Environment to give an opinion about the report.
12. In the preparation and follow-up of the UN Conference the following policy responses to climate change should be considered by European countries :
i. Member states should give their full political support to the International Convention on Climate Change.
ii. A realistic but ambitious assessment is to stabilise carbon dioxide emissions at their 1990 level in 2000. The final target is to reduce emissions globally by over 60 %. This should be achieved in 30 to 50 years.
iii. Developing countries must be allowed to increase their carbon dioxide emissions in order to meet their requirements for development. Technology transfer programmes and appropriate financial assistance programmes must be generated. Assistance programmes to stop deforestation can significantly reduce carbon diioxide emissions.
13. In the follow-up process of the United Nations Conference member states should study and apply different methods for reducing their carbon dioxide emissions. Cooperation is necessary for achieving good results. There is no simple solution for reduction of emissions. A combination of all possible policy instruments is necessary and, in spite of these, global warming can still reach dangerous levels. This is due to the fact that the world energy system is so large and energy plays such an important role in economic well-being that noticeable reduction of carbon dioxide emissions will be difficult to achieve fast.
14. The dangers and potentials of different energy sources (energy conservation, fossil, nuclear and renewable energy) should be considered and compared. The Club of Rome which has been critical on nuclear power, states in its latest report (the first global revolution) that "the nuclear fission option should be kept open as being probably less dangerous than the combustion of oil and coal". The Club concludes that "in a situation of ecological crisis, with the need for drastic reduction of carbon dioxide emission and with quite insufficient clean fuel availability, nuclear power could help to close the energy gap". It is necessary to start discussion about the possible role of nuclear energy in limiting climate change.
15. In order to make right decisions policy makers must continuously obtain best possible information on climate change. The latest scientific information on climate change hastens policy makers to act.
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Reporting committee: Committee on the Environment, Regional Planning and Local Authorities
Committee for opinion: Committee on Science and Technology
Reference to committee: Doc. 6563 and Reference No. 1769 of 7 February 1992
Opinion: approved by the committee on 6 May 1992