38 Amendments of Jakop G. DALUNDE related to 2016/2059(INI)
Amendment 5 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 4 a (new)
Citation 4 a (new)
- having regard to the Paris Agreement made in December 2015 at the 21st Conference of the Parties (COP 21) to the UNFCCC,
Amendment 9 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 4 b (new)
Citation 4 b (new)
- having regard to the Commission communication to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions of 15 December 2011 Energy Roadmap 2050 (COM(2011) 0885),
Amendment 13 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 4 d (new)
Citation 4 d (new)
- having regard to the Commission communication to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions of 16 February 2016 on 'an EU Strategy on Heating and Cooling' (COM(2016)0051),
Amendment 14 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 4 c (new)
Citation 4 c (new)
- having regard to Directive 2012/27/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 October 2012 on energy efficiency, amending Directives 2009/125/EC and 2010/30/EU and repealing Directives 2004/8/EC and 2006/32/EC Text with EEA relevance,
Amendment 17 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 4 e (new)
Citation 4 e (new)
- having regard to the European Court of Auditors special report No.16 "Improving the security of energy supply by developing the internal energy market: more efforts needed" (2015),
Amendment 20 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A
Recital A
A. whereas gas is expected to continue to play an important role in the EU energy system for decadein line with the COP 21 Paris Agreement the EU gas policy needs to be adapted complying with the concluded goal of keeping global temperature rise to 1.5°C above pre- industrial levels; whereas gas is expected to continue to play at role in the EU energy system until 2050, when in accordance with the Paris Agreement and the EU Energy Roadmap greenhouse gas emissions will have to be reduced to 80- 90% below 1990 levels, especially in industrial production and as a source of heat in buildings,; whileereas the role for gas will diminish and needs to be phased out, as the EU meets its ambitious targets on greenhouse gas emissions, energy efficiency and renewables and makes the transition to a low-carbon economy;
Amendment 24 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A a (new)
Recital A a (new)
Aa. whereas gas remains a fossil fuel that emits significant amounts methane along its lifecycle (production, transport, consumption); whereas methane has a global warming potential 86 times higher than CO2 on a 20-year timescale and thus a considerable impact on climate change, so that gas cannot not be considered as a low-carbon energy source to reach our climate goals;
Amendment 26 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A b (new)
Recital A b (new)
Ab. whereas EU leaders have committed to reducing Europe's greenhouse gas emissions by 80-95 % compared to 1990 levels by 2050; whereas 80% of these greenhouse gas emissions are coming from fuel combustion, fugitive emissions and transport; whereas this requires the immediate phase-out of and thus end to subsidies and other -direct and indirect- incentives for, gas, oil and coal during the next 35 years;
Amendment 28 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A c (new)
Recital A c (new)
Ac. whereas the EU´s current development plans for gas infrastructure projects are based on the expectation of rising demand, yet gas consumption in Europe has been falling and by 2014 was 23% lower than its peak in 2010; whereas gas infrastructure planning should be based on decreasing gas demand, the ´energy efficiency first principle´ and take account of the rapid expansion of renewables;
Amendment 31 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B
Recital B
B. whereas European gas import dependency in the upcoming years is expected tocould grow and in certain Member States has already reached 100 % in cases where there are no or limited numbers of alternative suppliers or supply routes; whereas ambitious policies for renewable energy, in combination with energy efficiency and demand reduction, are a major driving force in reducing the EU´s imports dependency and therefore its external energy bill and those of consumers while enhancing its energy security vis-à-vis external providers; whereas very 1% increase in energy savings reduces gas imports by 2,6%;
Amendment 35 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C
Recital C
C. whereas liquefied natural gas (LNG) presents an opportunity for Europe both in terms of increasing competitiveness by exerting downward pressure on natural gas prices and increasing supply security; whereas natural gas is also a flexible backup to renewables in electricity productionmay only serve as an interim solution to complement renewable energy production and increased energy efficiency measures and that needs to be bound to a tight phased-out schedule in line with the EU 2050 climate and energy targets;
Amendment 37 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C a (new)
Recital C a (new)
Ca. whereas new gas infrastructure, if not responding to actual demand, will risk becoming stranded assets while diverting significant financial investments away from renewable energy and energy efficiency measures; whereas a smart integration of the European gas and electricity systems as well as demand management can significantly decrease needs for investment in gas infrastructure; whereas the dual impact of economy-wide energy efficiency improvements and electrification trends will further sharply reduce gas demand;
Amendment 42 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D
Recital D
D. whereas the EU, as the second largest LNG importer in the world, should exploit more opportunitiesact in the international energy diplomacy arena based on its actual declining trend of gas demand;
Amendment 45 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital E
Recital E
E. whereas the EU is still not ableneeds to fully exploit the benefits of an integrated internal energy market due to a lack of key gas infrastructure that would properly connect the markets and due to incomplete implementation of the Third Energy Packagecompleting the implementation of the Third Energy Package, while making better use of existing infrastructure, streamlining regulation, better linking its gas and electricity systems as well as modernising towards an efficient renewable based heating and cooling sector, in order to drive forward a sustainable energy transition;
Amendment 55 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital F
Recital F
F. whereas the framework strategy for a resilient Energy Union with a forward- looking climate change policy defines as a priority supply security, diversification, sustainability goals and promotes more competitive energy prices; whereas European gas policies should be based on the ultimate goal of phasing out gas and hence reducing demand in line with the Paris Agreement;
Amendment 56 #
Motion for a resolution
Subheading 1
Subheading 1
Introduction - LNG and gas storage in the context of the EU´s energy and climate goals
Amendment 57 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. WelcomNotes the Commission communication entitled ‘'An EU strategy for liquefied natural gas and gas storage’'; believes that an internal energy market which fully integrates LNG and gasunderlines that LNG strategy needs to fit into the wider European climate and energy priorities implying a focus on demand reduction, energy efficiency and a wider exit storage will play a significant role in achieving the ultimate objective of a resilient Energy Uniontegy for gas till 2050 - which in turn should inform how to assess and prioritise policy and infrastructure choices across the different elements of the European energy system;
Amendment 62 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 a (new)
Paragraph 1 a (new)
1a. Observes a significant decrease of European gas demand by 14% between 2000 and 2014 and by 23% between 2010 and 2014, partly due to the economic crisis but also a structural shift in gas demand thanks to the successful implementation of energy efficiency and renewable policies; sees that this trend is likely to continue with the implementation of the even rather restrained EU 2030 Energy targets;
Amendment 66 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Agrees with the assessment of the Commission that Member States in the Baltic region and in central and south- eastern Europe, and Ireland – despite the huge infrastructure development efforts realised by certain Member States – are still dependent on a single supplier and arcould be exposed to supply shocks and disruptions; notes that 80% of gas demand comes from six western European countries (DE, UK, FR, NL, ES, BE) with strong energy efficiency and renewable policies in place, where gas demand is likely to decrease even further in future;
Amendment 73 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Acknowledges that the availability of LNG, including supporting pipeline infrastructure, in these Member States coulbut notably a boost in energy efficiency measures and a switch to efficient renewable heating and cooling, in vulnerable Member States could enhance the reduction of energy demand and significantly improve the current supply security situation not only in physical but also in economic terms, contributing to more competitive energy prices and the creation of local sustainable jobs;
Amendment 81 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Urges the Commission and the Member States to promote and incentivise a more efficient and better use of existing infrastructure, including gas storage; as well as to foster a comprehensive fuel switch from gas to renewable energy sources and hence a phasing out of fossil subsidies, in order to reach a fossil free economy by 2050;
Amendment 88 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Recalls that even though the EU as a whole is sufficiently supplied with LNG regasification terminals and in recent years a low utilisation rate has characterised the terminals as a result of recent market trends, non-optimal distribution of LNG terminals presents a challenge, and access to LNG in the most vulnerable Member States should be support; acknowledges that with its current LNG import capacity of about 195 bcm the EU can already source more than 50% of its annual gas imports from LNG; stresses that currently LNG capacities are heavily under-used, as the utilisation of gas import pipelines in 2014 stood at 46 % and the usage of LNG terminals at 32 % implying that only half of total EU gas import capacity was utilised;
Amendment 94 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5a. Reminds of the volatility of gas prices and irreducible additional costs of LNG due to transport, liquefaction, shipping and regasification that make up the bulk of costs and that in times of oversupply and low gas prices render LNG and related infrastructure the more unprofitable; hence stresses a better use of existing infrastructure should be prioritised over the construction of new ones that in discrepancy with decreasing demand could result in significant stranded assets;
Amendment 96 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 b (new)
Paragraph 5 b (new)
5b. Recognises that the non-optimal distribution of LNG terminals may present a challenge, and that a diversification of energy sources as well as a reduction of energy demand in the most vulnerable Member States should be supported with the ultimate goal of becoming self-reliant and resilient based on renewables and increased energy efficiency measures;
Amendment 98 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. UAlerts to the fact that LNG infrastructure is long-lived and capital intense and likely to operate beyond 2050; hence underlines that priority should first be given to market-basedrenewable and energy efficiency solutions and to the utilisation of existing LNG infrastructure on a regional level urges new and existing gas infrastructure to be actively prepared for a phase out before 2050 and potential reconversions;
Amendment 104 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Stresses that in order to avoid stranded assets, a careful analysis of LNG supply alternatives and options in a regional perspective should be carried out before deciding about new infrastructure in orderthe Commission needs to carefully revise its analysis for gas demand and risks and needs assessments, ensuring that data is not only coming from gas transmission operators and truly factor in structural changes in energy demand as well as the EU´s energy and climate targets, as already requested by a report of the European Court of Auditors; a careful analysis of LNG supply alternatives and options in a regional perspective - including electricity interconnections, renewable sources of energy and energy efficiency measures - should be carried out before deciding about new infrastructure in order to improve energy security, while avoiding the creation of induced demand, and to guarantee the most efficient use of existing infrastructure;
Amendment 120 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Urges the Commission and the Member States to fully implement key projects of common interest (PCIs), that focus on energy efficiency and savings projects and to assign high priority to projects identified by the three regional high-level groups; stresses that building LNG terminals is not sufficient – supporting pipeline infrastructure with appropriate tariffs ishould only be realised, if other sources of renewable energy, coupled with energy efficiency measures, cannot meet the same objective; supports a holistic approach not only better integrating gas iandispensable for the benefits to be realised outside the receiving countri electricity markets but that also enhances cooperation and solidarity between Member States;
Amendment 130 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Supports the Commission proposal in the ongoing revision of the Security of Supply Regulation to review the existing reverse flow exemptions on interconnectors and endorses the increased role of the Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators (ACER) in the process; notes the understaffing and lack of resources of ACER; underlines the need for providing ACER with the necessary resources, in particular sufficient own staff, in order to allow the agency to fulfil the tasks assigned to it by legislation;
Amendment 152 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Stresses the importance of finding cost efficient sustainable energy supply options to increase long-term supply security in the Member States on the periphery of the EU, such as Cyprus, Malta and Ireland, which are not well connected to the internal energy and electricity markets;
Amendment 163 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Supports the Commission’'s ambition to provide more information and assistance to project promoters on various project financing options, such as the European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI), the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF), the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and on various technical and climate-friendly solutions;
Amendment 166 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Notes that finding cost efficient solutions should be a key principle in reaching the EU and regional optimum and calls on the Commission, the Member States and national regulatory authorities to allocate the limited available resources to the development of critical infrastructure in compliance with the EU 2030 and 2050 energy and climate targets and in accordance with genuine demand analysis;
Amendment 177 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Expresses concern atCondemns the proposed doubling of capacity of the Nord Stream pipeline, and the counterproductive effects this would have on energy security and diversification of supply sources and the principle of solidarity among Member States; highlights that the project runs contrary toe geopolitical implications of the project, the risk to further destabilise Ukraine while impairing the internal energy market as well as the underlying principles of a fully integrated, secure, competitive and sustainable Energy Union and as such should not benefit from the EU’'s financial support or from any derogations from EU law;
Amendment 180 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
Amendment 210 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24
Paragraph 24
24. Supports the Commission’'s proposal to enable the deployment of bio- methane and other renewable gases which comply with relevant EU quality standards in gas transmission, distribution and storage; emphasises that this should not put additional burden on the industry while ensuring that the polluters pay principle is respected; ; recommends, in this respect, the consideration of technical parameters, gas quality, cost efficiency, economies of scale and possible local or regional grid solutions;
Amendment 227 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28
Paragraph 28
28. Notes the emerging global trend for increasing liquefaction capacity and its expected positive effepotential impact on the European gas markets;
Amendment 238 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30
Paragraph 30
30. Stresses the necessity of eliminating all barriers to global free trade of LNG; urges, in this context, US policy makers to increase investment certainty by introducing clear criteria and deadlines in the authorisation process for gas exports to non-FTA countrieraising awareness to environmental, climate and social impacts of imported LNG in global free trade fora; asks the Commission in this context to require gas suppliers that production conditions meet standards required for production in the EU, and Member States to refuse LNG that has been produced under conditions infringing their own national standards;
Amendment 247 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 31
Paragraph 31
31. Acknowledges the potential of LNG as a sustainable fuel, both in road and maritime transport; underlines that wider use of LNG in freight transport could contribute to the decrease of global CO2climatic risk of LNG due to methane leaks all along the lifecycle of gas; encourages further scientific research to be done on the exact implications of LNG via its entire life-cycle on greenhouse gas emissions;
Amendment 258 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 32
Paragraph 32
32. Notes that the use of small-scale LNG technology in certain areas, such as long-range transportation or industrial high performance applications, might not only contribute to climate policy objectives but could also result in significant business advantage could result in significant business advantage; warns that these advantages should be balanced with the environmental and health impacts related to LNG, which necessitate further research;