Activities of Cornelia ERNST related to 2021/2012(INI)
Plenary speeches (1)
A European strategy for offshore renewable energy (debate)
Shadow reports (1)
REPORT on a European strategy for offshore renewable energy
Amendments (62)
Amendment 3 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 23 a (new)
Citation 23 a (new)
— having regard to its resolution of 16 January 2018 on international ocean governance: an agenda for the future of our oceans in the context of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals,
Amendment 7 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 23 b (new)
Citation 23 b (new)
— having regard to the Commission Communication of 20 May 2020 entitled ‘EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030’ (COM(2020) 380),
Amendment 8 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 23 c (new)
Citation 23 c (new)
— having regard to its resolution of 9 June 2021 on the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030: Bringing nature back into our lives,
Amendment 9 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 23 d (new)
Citation 23 d (new)
— having regard to its resolution of 28 November 2019 on the climate and environment emergency,
Amendment 10 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 23 e (new)
Citation 23 e (new)
— having regard to the EEA briefing of 6 October 2020 entitled ‘Management effectiveness in the EU’s Natura 2000 network of protected areas’,
Amendment 11 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 23 f (new)
Citation 23 f (new)
— having regard to Directive 2009/147/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 November 2009 on the conservation of wild birds,
Amendment 12 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 23 g (new)
Citation 23 g (new)
— having regard to Council Directive92/43/EEC of 21 May 1992 on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora,
Amendment 13 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 23 h (new)
Citation 23 h (new)
— having regard to Directive2008/56/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 June 2008 establishing a framework for community action in the field of marine environmental policy,
Amendment 14 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 23 i (new)
Citation 23 i (new)
— having regard to Directive 2014/89/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 July 2014 establishing a framework for maritime spatial planning,
Amendment 15 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 23 j (new)
Citation 23 j (new)
— having regard to the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals,
Amendment 16 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 23 k (new)
Citation 23 k (new)
— having regard to the EEA briefing of 6 October 2020 entitled ‘Management effectiveness in the EU’s Natura 2000 network of protected areas’,
Amendment 17 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 23 l (new)
Citation 23 l (new)
— having regard to the European Court of Auditors special report of 26 November 2020 entitled ‘Marine environment: EU protection is wide but not deep’,
Amendment 18 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 23 m (new)
Citation 23 m (new)
— having regard for the UNEP Emissions Gap reports 2019 and 2020,
Amendment 20 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A
Recital A
A. whereas the EU has endorsed the Paris Agreement, as well as the European Green Deal and the recently adopted European Climate Law, which set an ambitious target of reducing emissions by 55 % by 2030 and complementary goals, with the aim of achieving the EU’s net- zero carbon emission target by 2050 at the latest in order to fight the effects of global climate change; underlines that the UNEP Emissions Gap Reports confirm that an emissions reduction of 65-70 % by 2030 would be necessary to limit global warming to 1,5 C in line with the commitments under the Paris Agreement;
Amendment 30 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B a (new)
Recital B a (new)
B a. whereas the UNEP Emissions Gap Report 2020 points to the fact that the highest income groups in our society are responsible for the largest share of GHG emissions, while the lowest income groups suffer disproportionately from the effects climate change;
Amendment 38 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C a (new)
Recital C a (new)
Amendment 44 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C b (new)
Recital C b (new)
C b. whereas the skills and qualifications of the workforce are a key factor for the success of the offshore renewable strategy;
Amendment 46 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C c (new)
Recital C c (new)
C c. whereas additional research is needed on the impact of different offshore renewable technologies and infrastructure on marine eco-systems, marine biodiversity and marine protected areas;
Amendment 77 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 a (new)
Paragraph 1 a (new)
1 a. Stresses that climate change disproportionately affects low income households; recalls the promise of the European Green Deal that no-one should be left behind; underlines that the wellbeing of people should be at the heart of the green transition that needs to be green and social;
Amendment 79 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 b (new)
Paragraph 1 b (new)
1 b. Stresses that the unprecedented expansion of ORE requires the mobilization of the public sector in the deployment of renewable energy onshore and offshore; highlights that the renewable energy sector constitutes a strategic supply chain in the fight against climate change; emphasizes the importance of an active and public industrial policy that steers the EU and Member States efforts through regulatory measure, public investments and public sector participation in the scale up of ORE; stresses the potential of public- driven offshore energy production which would benefit from a long-term public interest vision and independence from short-term profit seeking interests that could undermine and the global efforts to fight climate change;
Amendment 80 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 c (new)
Paragraph 1 c (new)
1 c. Urges the Commission to revise public procurement and state aid rules to empower Member States and the public sector to tackle the climate emergency and guarantee the rapid expansion of ORE; encourages Member States to attach strong conditionalities in terms of quality and security of jobs when according state aid to private companies;
Amendment 81 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 d (new)
Paragraph 1 d (new)
1 d. Highlights that the green and social transition is a necessary investment for future generations; calls on the Commission to suspend EU fiscal and budgetary rules that hamper investment in a green and social transition;
Amendment 100 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3 a. Stresses that the transition to a net-zero greenhouse gas economy should not compromise conservation and restoration of nature, the existing nature targets of the Biodiversity Strategy or leave anyone behind as promised in the European Green Deal, and needs to be a fair and inclusive energy transition;
Amendment 113 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Stresses the urgency of improving and expanding existing infrastructure, without prejudice to the EU’s Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 and EU nature legislation to enable the increased flow of electricity from offshore sites to inland- based consumers;
Amendment 130 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Welcomes the Commission’s proposal for a revision of the TEN-E Regulation and the attention it gives to the offshore renewables sector’s needs and priorities; stresses that the development of sustainable and efficient transmission infrastructure requires forward-looking public planning and investment; believes strongly that regulatory frameworks should facilitate anticipatory investments;
Amendment 148 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 a (new)
Paragraph 7 a (new)
7 a. Stresses that Regional cooperation at a sea basin level, between Member States and neighbouring states, should be fostered through joint planning and acting on regulatory barriers, and also by creating regional marine spatial usage maps that are accessible to all stakeholders and regularly revised via a robust common monitoring framework;
Amendment 151 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 b (new)
Paragraph 7 b (new)
7 b. Highlights the importance of onshore renewables for the public sector including the re-municipalization of energy services, and onsite production on public buildings; emphasis the role of the public sector and energy communities in alleviating energy poverty; stresses that coastal communities should benefit from offshore renewables in a similar way;
Amendment 152 #
Motion for a resolution
Subheading 4
Subheading 4
Amendment 156 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Notes that in some cases electricity from offshore renewables can contribute to the greening of district heating, decreasing and eventually eliminating its GHG emissions; highlights the potential to incorporate ORE in district heating through clean electricity and heat pumps;
Amendment 160 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 a (new)
Paragraph 8 a (new)
8 a. Reiterates the energy efficiency first principle and the need to reduce overall energy demand; stresses that onshore and offshore renewables should be complementary and mutually reinforce the transition to an entirely renewable based energy system;
Amendment 164 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 a (new)
Paragraph 9 a (new)
9 a. Stresses that further research should be conducted to assess the long- term impact of offshore renewable energy infrastructure throughout their life cycle; as well as to improve our knowledge of the areas they’re planned to be developed in;especially recalls that more research is still needed to better understand the environmental impacts of offshore renewable energy developments and their various technologies and technical options, especially cumulative impacts when infrastructures are deployed at an industrial scale;
Amendment 165 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 b (new)
Paragraph 9 b (new)
9 b. Believes that research should be supported on nature-inclusive design, so as to reduce the impact on the environment as much as possible from the design phase onwards;
Amendment 166 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 c (new)
Paragraph 9 c (new)
9 c. However also recalls that due to the complexity of marine ecosystems, eco- design measures can have both positive and negative environmental impacts and thus require pilot tests, and need to be included and assessed in the Environmental impact assessment of the project;
Amendment 167 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 d (new)
Paragraph 9 d (new)
9 d. Reminds that offshore renewable energy projects and their environmental impact assessments (EIA) must follow the mitigation hierarchy approach: avoid, minimize/reduce (restore and compensate in last resort only); recalls that when avoidance is impossible or very limited, reduction measures need to be adopted and effectively implemented during all phases, from site-selection, to exploitation and decommissioning, that includes for instance mandatory mitigation measures against underwater noise in EIA to reduce disturbance of underwater fauna, seabird and bats survey plans in all stages of development;
Amendment 168 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 e (new)
Paragraph 9 e (new)
9 e. Believes that throughout the full project cycle, it is crucial to design, develop and deploy renewable offshore energy in a circular and renewable way; especially stresses that the substantial amount of metals and minerals needed to support the growth of renewable technologies need to be responsibly and circularly sourced;
Amendment 169 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 f (new)
Paragraph 9 f (new)
9 f. Recalls that the average lifespan of wind turbines is around 20-25 years; urges the Commission and Member States to invest in research and development into circular and nature inclusive design of ORE;
Amendment 177 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 a (new)
Paragraph 10 a (new)
10 a. Highlights that the expansion of ORE will require a large highly specialized and qualified workforce; calls on the Commission and Member States to take the necessary steps to create qualified work with good salaries, good working conditions, ensuring social protection instead of precarious work, atypical contracts or bogus self-employed; stresses that this should include individual and collective workers’ rights, social protection and collective agreements as an integral part of the offshore renewable strategy;
Amendment 184 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 b (new)
Paragraph 10 b (new)
10 b. Underlines the importance of female employment in this highly technical environment of the offshore sector and ensuring the principle of equal pay and equal treatment to meet the needs of a rapidly expanding ORE sector; highlights the IndustriAll Pact for skills project in this regard; stresses the importance of quantified objectives for women employed in the sector in recruitment as well as up- and re-skilling;
Amendment 192 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 c (new)
Paragraph 10 c (new)
10 c. Calls on the Commission, Member States and social partners to take agreements such as tripartite agreements in the Norwegian offshore oil and gas industry into consideration, especially with a view to health and safety at work, labour standards and working conditions;
Amendment 193 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 d (new)
Paragraph 10 d (new)
10 d. Urges the Commission and Member States to have a particular focus on occupational health and safety requirements in a maritime and offshore environment; points out the work environment in open sea in changing seasons, changeable and extreme weather conditions such as storms, working in heights, technically rough environment including large moving parts, in construction maintenance decommissioning and eco-system restoration including transport on board of ships and other means of transport such as helicopters; calls on the Commission and MS to develop an integrated health and safety framework including provisions for training and re- training;
Amendment 196 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 e (new)
Paragraph 10 e (new)
10 e. Highlights that subcontractors have a higher rate of occupational accidents; calls for joint and severe liability along the sub-contracting chain for sub-contractors and contractors; calls on the inclusion of contractors and sub- contractors in the health and safety frameworks and into the adequate training in theory and practice;
Amendment 198 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 f (new)
Paragraph 10 f (new)
10 f. Calls on Commission particularly the European Labour Authority to assess the development of occupational accidents in the offshore industry;
Amendment 199 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 g (new)
Paragraph 10 g (new)
10 g. The development of the sector requires sufficient and well equipped labour inspectorate; calls on Commission and Member States to provide labour inspections with the necessary means;
Amendment 200 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 h (new)
Paragraph 10 h (new)
10 h. Calls on the Commission and Member States to establish disputes settlement and clear legal conflict regulation in labour law, due to the fact that hybrid ORE projects could involve more than one Member States , apart from conflict on applicable labour and collective agreements this shall provide solutions for cross border labour inspections; emphasis that in cross border situations the principle of most favourable conditions should have priority as well as a non-regression clause;
Amendment 201 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 i (new)
Paragraph 10 i (new)
10 i. Urges the Commission and Member States to provide a legislative proposal for a unified EU maritime area to establish minimum labour- and social protection standards, promoting collective agreements and social dialogue; to prevent undermining wage and social protection levels and working conditions along the maritime frontiers and across borders;
Amendment 202 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 j (new)
Paragraph 10 j (new)
10 j. Endorses a just transition of offshore oil- and gas workers towards ORE sector by improving the recognition of their skills and qualifications;
Amendment 203 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 k (new)
Paragraph 10 k (new)
10 k. Considers ORE a strategic supply chain in tackling the climate emergency;
Amendment 204 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 l (new)
Paragraph 10 l (new)
10 l. Endorses an active public industrial policy in the ORE supply chain including a public procurement agenda for domestic content to locate qualified industrial workplaces in former coal regions, rural areas and other regions undergoing structural change including landlocked regions to facilitate a just transition that creates real perspectives for the people in these regions; highlights the importance of training and retraining workers including quantified targets for women, young people and disadvantaged groups; calls on Commission and Member States to make effective use of EU funds for training and re-training of workers and to support SMEs in the ORE supply chain;
Amendment 205 #
Motion for a resolution
Subheading 7
Subheading 7
Amendment 207 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Notes that the huge interest in ORE will attract an increasingly larger number of permit applications; calls on the MSs to urgently simplify the relevant procedures, facilitate compliance with highest labour, social and environmental standards and coordinate their efforts; encourages the MSember States to support the one-stop- shop proposal; stresses that upholding highest social and environmental standards are more important than the ease of doing business;
Amendment 216 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Notes the current lengthy process for launching ORE projects and the urgent need to speed it up in order to reach the 2030 and 2050 goals; notes that streamlining MSs procedures and technical standards will facilitate more rapid deployment; calls on the MSs to consider introducing time limits for issuing permits, including the automatic grantstresses the role of the public sector in planning and implementing projects ing of permits after deadlines expirerder to meet the 2030, 2040 and 2050 goals;
Amendment 219 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 a (new)
Paragraph 12 a (new)
12 a. Acknowledges that meeting the 2030 and 2050 targets requires speeding up the deployment of offshore renewable energy; stresses however that this should not been done at the expense of either inclusive, transparent and effective stakeholder engagement in the permitting process, or the necessary impact assessments and required correcting measures; believes that failing to deliver on inclusive and science-based permitting processes is likely to hinder public acceptance as well as to result in irreparable damage to marine ecosystems and local coastal communities;
Amendment 222 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 b (new)
Paragraph 12 b (new)
Amendment 223 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 c (new)
Paragraph 12 c (new)
12 c. Recalls that the majority of ecological functions cannot be artificially substituted, and only a limited number of ecosystems are likely to be suitable for such compensatory actions; underlines that the possibility to implement restoration operations based on offshore renewable energy infrastructures depends on the nature of the ecosystems that have been altered; stresses therefore the need to approach the possibility to implement restoration operations based on offshore renewable energy infrastructures on a case-by-case basis and based on the precautionary principle;
Amendment 229 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Notes that the total space required to ensure the offshore wind capacity for the northern seas meets the 2050 goals is expected to be 2.8 %; underlines, therefore, the possibility of compatibility between sea space requirements for ORE and other interests; strongly believes that involving renewables developerscivil society, local communities and the scientific community early on in the process will contribute to the successful protection of the maritime environment and allocation of sea space;
Amendment 236 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 a (new)
Paragraph 14 a (new)
14 a. Stresses that the uptake of ORE is dependent on the collective effort of the public and private sector; highlights the role that publicly owned companies can play in achieving systemic change towards a green and social transition to meet the climate emergency including the expansion of ORE; calls on the revision of state aid rules and public procurement to provide more flexibility in implementing political decisions pertaining to the green and social transition including ORE; calls on the revision of fiscal rules to enable Member States to make the investments to preserve an inhabitable planet for future generations;
Amendment 240 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 b (new)
Paragraph 14 b (new)
14 b. Calls on all Member States to apply an ecosystem-based approach to Maritime Spatial Planning as referred to in Article 1(3) of Directive 2008/56/EC and Article5(1) of Directive 2014/89/EU with the aim of ensuring the collective pressure of all activities is kept within levels compatible with the achievement of good environmental status while contributing to the sustainable use of marine goods and services; welcomes, in this regard, the Strategy’s aim of providing along-term framework that promotes sound coexistence between offshore installations and other uses of the sea space, contributes to the protection of the environment and allows for thriving local fishing communities ;
Amendment 244 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 c (new)
Paragraph 14 c (new)
14 c. Believes that, as a first principle, renewable energy developments should not be placed within Marine Protected Areas and other ecologically valuable areas for sensitive species and habitats; stresses that in particular, they must not be allowed in EU strictly protected areas designated as such under the EU Biodiversity Strategy;
Amendment 246 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 d (new)
Paragraph 14 d (new)
14 d. Calls for grid networks to avoid Marine Protected Areas, as a first principle and to completely avoid passing through strictly protected areas; calls for grid connections that are bound to lie within MPAs, to have reduced environmental impacts as much as possible and favour the least impactful routes;
Amendment 248 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 e (new)
Paragraph 14 e (new)
14 e. Recalls that offshore renewable energy projects also have socio-economic impacts, which must be assessed before the implementation of a project, with an integrated management approach via marine spatial planning; therefore stresses the need for transparent and meaningful involvement of coastal communities and other stakeholders in projects; highlights that this is also crucial in preventing and remediating conflicts with other sea space users and uses;
Amendment 249 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 f (new)
Paragraph 14 f (new)
14 f. Calls for energy projects to be developed in full respect of the Partnership Principle, as enshrined by the European Code of Conduct on Partnership, in line with best community led local development practices, and should be included under development plans created at the local and regional level which aim to develop secure supply chains and decent jobs; stresses that offshore renewables projects should always benefit local communities and contribute to are distributive transformation of the energy sector;
Amendment 263 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Calls for the recalculation of the distribution of costs and benefits between the generation and transmission of ORE, ensuring the right incentives and a stable regulatory framework for developers; stresses that uncertainty regarding the distribution of costs and benefits is deterring companies from launching offshore renewable projects; invites the Commission to expedite the publishing of EU guidance on sharing the costs and benefits of offshore hybrid projects including industry led schemes for eco- system restoration;