Activities of Alexander BERNHUBER related to 2020/0036(COD)
Plenary speeches (1)
European Climate Law (debate)
Amendments (46)
Amendment 103 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 4
Recital 4
(4) The Paris Agreement sets out a long-term goal to keep the global temperature increase to well below 2 °C above pre-industrial levels and to pursue efforts to keep it to 1.5 °C above pre- industrial levels23 , and stresses the importance of adapting to the adverse impacts of climate change, in a manner that does not threaten food production,24 and making finance flows consistent with a pathway towards low greenhouse gas emissions and climate-resilient development25 . _________________ 23 Article 2.1.a of the Paris Agreement. 24 Article 2.1.b of the Paris Agreement. 25 Article 2.1.c of the Paris Agreement.
Amendment 117 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 5 a (new)
Recital 5 a (new)
(5 a) In order to achieve climate neutrality, the special role of agriculture and forestry has to be taken into account, as only a vital and productive agriculture and forestry is able to supply the population with high-quality and safe food in sufficient quantities and at affordable prices, as well as with renewable raw materials for all purposes of the bio-economy.
Amendment 136 #
(6) Achieving climate neutrality should require a contribution from all economic sectors. In light of the importance of energy production and consumption on greenhouse gas emissions, the transition to a sustainable, affordable and secure energy system, while taking into account the risk of carbon leakage, relying on a well- functioning internal energy market is essential. The digital transformation, technological innovation, and research and development are also important drivers for achieving the climate-neutrality objective.
Amendment 198 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 12
Recital 12
(12) The Union should aim to achieve a balance between anthropogenic economy- wide emissions and removals, through natural and technological solutions, of greenhouse gases domestically within the Union by 2050. The Union-wide 2050 climate-neutrality objective should be pursued by all Member States collectively, and teach Member State should set out to achieve climate neutrality individually with the support of the Union. The Member States, the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission should take the necessary measures to enable its achievement. Measures at Union level will constitute an important part of the measures needed to achieve the objective.
Amendment 209 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 12 a (new)
Recital 12 a (new)
(12a) The Commission is exploring the development of a regulatory framework for the certification of carbon removals in accordance with its Circular Economy Action Plan and the Farm to Fork Strategy. The restoration of eco-systems and the development of a carbon removals market for land-based greenhouse gas sequestration would assist in restoring, maintaining and managing natural sinks and would promote biodiversity.
Amendment 210 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 12 a (new)
Recital 12 a (new)
(12 a) It is important not to have a sink- focused approach for the role of forests in achieving climate neutrality. While it might balance emissions it will not create jobs, innovation or economic growth. Furthermore, a sink-focused approach will promote a continued use of fossil- based material instead of taking advantage of material substitution and preventing fossil emissions from bio- based products and materials.
Amendment 216 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 12 b (new)
Recital 12 b (new)
(12b) The Commission should come forward with a definition of natural and other carbon sinks to give clarity in this Regulation.
Amendment 271 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 16 a (new)
Recital 16 a (new)
(16a) The transition to climate neutrality requires all sectors to do their part. The role renewable products and materials can play in substituting fossil-based products and materials should be acknowledged. Further use of renewable products and material will have a large climate mitigation benefit and benefits many different sectors.
Amendment 342 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 20
Recital 20
(20) As citizens and communities have a powerful role to play in driving the transformation towards climate neutrality forward, strong public and social engagement on climate action should be facilitated. The Commission should therefore engage with all parts of society to enable and empower them to take action towards an economically viable, climate- neutral and climate- resilient society, including through launching a European Climate Pact.
Amendment 348 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 21
Recital 21
(21) In order to provide predictability and confidence for all economic actors, including businesses, SMEs, workers, investors and consumers, to ensure that the transition towards climate neutrality is irreversible, to ensure gradualpredictable and phased reductions over time and to assist in the assessment of the consistency of measures and progress with the climate- neutrality objective, the power to adopt acts in accordance with Article 290 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union should be delegated to the Commission to set out a trajectory for achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions in the Union by 2050. It is of particular importance that the Commission carries out appropriate consultations during its preparatory work, including at expert level, and that those consultations be conducted in accordance with the principles laid down in the Interinstitutional Agreement of 13 April 2016 on Better Law-Making37 . In particular, to ensure equal participation in the preparation of delegated acts, the European Parliament and the Council receive all documents at the same time as Member States’ experts, and their experts systematically have access to meetings of Commission expert groups dealing with the preparation of delegated acts. _________________ 37Commission should monitor the progress by Member States in achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions in the Union by 2050. OJ L 123, 12.5.2016, p. 1.
Amendment 374 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 23 a (new)
Recital 23 a (new)
(23a) The EU legislative framework should promote afforestation and sustainable forest management in Member States that do not have significant forest resource, by means of sharing best practice and industrial know- how.
Amendment 429 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1
Article 2 – paragraph 1
1. Union-wide emissions and removals of greenhouse gases regulated in Union law shall be balanced at the latest by 2050, thus reducing emissions to net zero by that date and beyond. Each Member State shall seek to achieve climate neutrality by 2050 through the collective actions of the Union.
Amendment 453 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 2
Article 2 – paragraph 2
2. The relevant Union institutions and the Member States shall take the necessary measures at Union and national level respectively, to enable the collective achievement of the climate-neutrality objective set out in paragraph 1, taking into account the importance of promoting fairness and solidarity among Member States and the special role of agriculture and forestry.
Amendment 459 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 2
Article 2 – paragraph 2
2. The relevant Union institutions and the Member States shall take the necessary measures at Union and national level respectively, to enable theMember State and collective achievement of the climate- neutrality objective set out in paragraph 1, taking into account the importance of promoting fairness and solidarity among Member States.
Amendment 461 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 (new)
Article 2 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 (new)
The Commission shall ensure that the self-sufficiency of European agriculture is not weakened by this Regulation.
Amendment 512 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 4 a (new)
Article 2 – paragraph 4 a (new)
4a. Where the Commission considers it appropriate to set an intermediary emissions reduction target for 2040, with a view of achieving climate neutrality by 2050, by 30 September 2028 it shall make a legislative proposal to the European Parliament and to the Council to that effect, following a detailed impact assessment. The impact assessment shall take into account the criteria outlined in Article 3 (3).
Amendment 538 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 1
Article 3 – paragraph 1
Amendment 552 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 1
Article 3 – paragraph 1
1. The Commission is empowered to adopt delegated acts in accordance with Article 9 to supplement this Regulation by setting out a trajectory at Union levelshall assess the effectiveness of this Regulation to achieve the climate-neutrality objective set out in Article 2(1) until 2050. At the latest within six months after each global stocktake referred to in Article 14 of the Paris Agreement, the Commission shall review the traaluate progress towards the climate-neutrality objectoryive.
Amendment 570 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 3 – introductory part
Article 3 – paragraph 3 – introductory part
3. When setting a trajectory assessing the progress towards the carbon neutrality goal, considering accordance with paragraph 1 2040 emissions reduction target, and considering the development of a framework to certify greenhouse gas removals, the Commission shall consider the following:
Amendment 589 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 3 – point a
Article 3 – paragraph 3 – point a
(a) cost-effectiveness and economic efficiency and adaption costs;
Amendment 604 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 3 – point b
Article 3 – paragraph 3 – point b
(b) competiveness of the Union’s economy and in particular of energy intensive industries exposed to global competition;
Amendment 612 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 3 – point b a (new)
Article 3 – paragraph 3 – point b a (new)
(ba) the benefits of sustainable forest management and afforestation;
Amendment 622 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 3 – point c
Article 3 – paragraph 3 – point c
(c) best available technologyavailable breakthrough technologies and total investment costs; availability and costs of climate-neutral feedstock and energy; deployment of the infrastructure in support of the climate- neutrality objective;
Amendment 629 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 3 – point c a (new)
Article 3 – paragraph 3 – point c a (new)
(ca) the need for substituting fossil- based products with renewable products and materials;
Amendment 635 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 3 – point d
Article 3 – paragraph 3 – point d
(d) energy efficiency, energy affordability and security of supply and the promotion of the bio-based circular economy;
Amendment 647 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 3 – point d a (new)
Article 3 – paragraph 3 – point d a (new)
(da) the need to reduce dependency on fossil fuels and to move to more renewable and sustainable energy;
Amendment 651 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 3 – point d a (new)
Article 3 – paragraph 3 – point d a (new)
(da) food production and food security;
Amendment 669 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 3 – point f
Article 3 – paragraph 3 – point f
(f) the need to ensure environmental effectiveness and progression over time and taking into account the risk of carbon leakage;
Amendment 681 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 3 – point g
Article 3 – paragraph 3 – point g
(g) investment needs and opportunitiesencouragement of investment and innovation;
Amendment 683 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 3 – point g
Article 3 – paragraph 3 – point g
(g) investment cycles needs and opportunities;
Amendment 690 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 3 – point h
Article 3 – paragraph 3 – point h
(h) the need to ensure a just and socially fair transition and the territorial coherence between rural and urban areas;
Amendment 697 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 3 – point i
Article 3 – paragraph 3 – point i
(i) international developments and effortsprogress at global level undertaken to achieve the long-term objectives of the Paris Agreement and the ultimate objective of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change;
Amendment 707 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 3 – point j
Article 3 – paragraph 3 – point j
(j) the best available and most recent scientific evidence, including the latest reports of the IPCC. and greenhouse gas abatement potential of each sector;
Amendment 708 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 3 – point j
Article 3 – paragraph 3 – point j
(j) the best available and most recent scientific evidence, including the latest reports of the IPCC and Member State Climate Advisory bodies.
Amendment 724 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 3 – point j a (new)
Article 3 – paragraph 3 – point j a (new)
(ja) risk of the loss of a level playing field for agriculture and forestry.
Amendment 745 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 3 a (new)
Article 3 – paragraph 3 a (new)
3a. The trajectory set out in accordance with paragraph 1 shall be based on a detailed assessment of the greenhouse gas abatement potential of each economic sector. When setting out that trajectory, the Commission shall take into account that the security of supply needs to be ensured.
Amendment 766 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 2
Article 4 – paragraph 2
2. Member States shall develop and implement adaptation strategies and plans that include comprehensive risk management frameworks, based on robust climate and vulnerability baselines and progress assessments. Member States shall promote nature-based solutions and eco- system based adaption, which represent important greenhouse gas sequestration potential and address biodiversity loss.
Amendment 773 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 2 a (new)
Article 4 – paragraph 2 a (new)
Amendment 797 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1 – point a
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1 – point a
(a) the collective progress made by all Member States towards the achievement of the climate-neutrality objective set out in Article 2(1) as expressed by the trajectory referred to in Article 3(1);
Amendment 834 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 2 – point a
Article 5 – paragraph 2 – point a
(a) the consistency of Union measures with the climate-neutrality objective set out in Article 2(1) as expressed by the trajectory referred to in Article 3(1);
Amendment 852 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 3
Article 5 – paragraph 3
3. Where, based on the assessment referred to in paragraphs 1 and 2, the Commission finds that Union measures are inconsistent with the climate-neutrality objective set out in Article 2(1) or inadequate to ensure progress on adaptation as referred to in Article 4, or that the progress towards either the climate-neutrality objective or on adaptation as referred to in Article 4 is insufficient, it shall take the necessary measures in accordance with the Treaties, at the same time as the review of the trajectory referred to in Article 3(1).
Amendment 870 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 4
Article 5 – paragraph 4
4. The Commission shall assess any draft measure or legislative proposal in light of the climate-neutrality objective set out in Article 2(1) as expressed by the trajectory referred to in Article 3(1) before adoption, and include this analysis in any impact assessment accompanying these measures or proposals, and make the result of that assessment public at the time of adoption.
Amendment 892 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 6 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1 – point a
Article 6 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1 – point a
(a) the consistency of national measures identified, on the basis of the National Energy and Climate Plans or the Biennial Progress Reports submitted in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2018/1999, as relevant for the achievement of the climate-neutrality objective set out in Article 2(1) with that objective as expressed by the trajectory referred to in Article 3(1);
Amendment 926 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 6 – paragraph 2
Article 6 – paragraph 2
2. Where the Commission finds, under due consideration of the collective and Member State-level progress assessed in accordance with Article 5(1), that a Member State’s measures are inconsistent with that objective as expressed by the trajectory referred to in Article 3(1) ore climate-neutrality objective or are inadequate to ensure progress on adaptation as referred to in Article 4, it may issue recommendations to that Member State. The Commission shall make such recommendations publicly available.
Amendment 994 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 8 – paragraph 1
Article 8 – paragraph 1
The Commission shall engage with all parts of society to enable and empower them to take action towards an economically viable, climate- neutral and climate-resilient society. The Commission shall facilitate an inclusive and accessible process at all levels, including at national, regional and local level and with social partners, citizens and civil society, for the exchange of best practice and to identify actions to contribute to the achievement of the objectives of this Regulation. In addition, the Commission may also draw on the multilevel climate and energy dialogues as set up by Member States in accordance with Article 11 of Regulation (EU) 2018/1999.
Amendment 1025 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 9
Article 9