Europaudvalget 2019-20
EUU Alm.del Bilag 255
Offentligt
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Input from the Danish Government for Targets and Policies
for an Ambitious
European Green Deal
Ambitious Climate Targets and Action
The 2030 target must be increased from the current 40 percent to at least 55 percent.
Member States should agree upon this in the first half of 2020 and submit it to the
UNFCCC as the EU’s updated Nationally Determined Contribution in order to push for
higher global ambition in the run-up to COP26 in Glasgow. An increased 2030 target
should be implemented in the most cost effective way.
It is of immediate urgency that the European Council agrees on reaching climate
neutrality in the EU by 2050 at the latest. The EU should set targets and implement
policies and measures to limit the global average temperature increase to 1.5 C in line
with the Paris Agreement.
The revision of the Energy Taxation Directive should support the green transition.
Among other things, it is a priority that the tax exemption for aviation fuel is abolished
and that energy products are taxed depending on their climate impact.
The ETS should be further strengthened for the covered sectors, as it is the most cost
effective market based instrument driving the green transition and there is further
scope for making it even more effective, e.g. through a further reduction of free
allowances, an adjustment of the uptake in the Market Stability Reserve, or through a
combination of reduced free allowances and uptake in the Market Stability Reserve, as
well as an expansion of the ETS to cover the removal of CO
2
.
Increased 2030 target
Target on climate
neutrality by 2050
Energy Taxation
Directive
A strengthened EU
ETS
Green Finance for the Green Transition
25 percent climate
mainstreaming in the
MFF
EIB as Europe’s
Climate Bank
More green
investments
It should be ensured that at least 25 percent of the Multiannual Financial Framework
is targeted for climate mainstreaming.
The European Investment Bank should be Europe’s Climate Bank and promote more
green investments.
The Commission strategy on sustainable finance should include an EU green bond
standard and an ECO-label for financial products in order to avoid green washing and
expand the market for green and sustainable financial investments, as well as it
should include climate risks in risk management and credit ratings.
Green Mobility to Move Transport to Lower Emissions
Aviation
The Commission should present common European measures to regulate the
emissions from aviation, amongst others through a strengthening of the EU ETS
.
The Commission should present a concrete plan with proposals for policy initiatives
and incentives for the transition to a fleet of zero-emission passenger cars to support
the EU in reaching climate neutrality by 2050. Specifically, CO
2
standards for light and
heavy-duty vehicles should be strengthened.
Denmark supports measures that strengthen regulation to reduce NOx emissions in
the EU. The current EU regulation on transport intended to reduce NOx emissions is
not sufficiently effective.
Road transport
NOx pollution from
passenger cars, vans
and heavy duty vehicle
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Shipping
The EU should continue to work for an ambitious global solution with regard to the
climate within the IMO. It needs to be ensured that any EU measures with regard to
greenhouse gas emissions from shipping are flag neutral, avoid carbon leakage and
do not hinder the development of global rules within the IMO.
A Greener Agricultural Sector
The Common Agricultural Policy should to a larger extent live up to and produce in
line with the European ambitions and targets on water environment, biodiversity and
climate, through a green ring fencing across the pillars, a green definition of eligible
hectare and compensation to farmers for mandatory ambitious national or EU
requirements contributing to climate and environment objectives.
The Farm to Fork strategy should include a focus on animal welfare and should be
ambitious in regards to goals on antimicrobial resistance.
Farm to Fork strategy
and the Common
Agricultural Policy
2022-2027
A Climate Neutral Energy System
A green, flexible and
integrated energy
system
EU’s state aid rules for
energy
The Commission is encouraged to present strategies on sector integration across
energy systems, such as electricity, gas and heating, as well as electrification and
energy storage.
State aid rules should be set up to support a green energy transition in the EU and
take account of the development of new green technological solutions, such as CO
2
-
storage and wind islands in the North Sea.
A new European framework for gas should include a roadmap for phasing out natural
gas of the European energy systems. In addition to a strategy for sector integration,
this should also address how to develop a well-functioning European market for green
gasses.
The EU’s general level of ambition with
regard to renewable energy should be
enhanced, e.g. through regional cooperation, such as for instance the North Seas
Energy Cooperation focusing on the expansion of offshore wind energy.
New European
framework for gas
Expansion of
renewable energy in
the EU, including in the
North Seas Energy
Cooperation
Focused efforts on
energy efficiency
improvements
Reliable and regularly
updated green data and
assumptions
Energy efficiency should focus on reducing the consumption of fossil energy use. The
Commission should present an action plan with proposals for eco-design and energy
labelling that seeks to strengthen existing requirements. New products for example in
relation to data centres should be able to deliver flexibility to the energy system
The Commission’s modelling framework is the backbone for assessing consequences
of new policy and for making optimal energy policy choices. Denmark encourages the
Commission to continue the open and transparent approach on improving the
modelling framework.
Industrial and Business Policy Supporting the Green Economy
A green industrial
policy strategy
Improved reporting on
corporate social
responsibility (CSR)
Green research and
innovation
The
upcoming industrial policy strategy should strengthen European industries’
competitiveness and contribute in the furthest possible extent to the transition to a
climate-neutral EU by 2050, including through a focus on circular economy and a
more green use of state aid to IPCEIs.
The framework for responsible business conduct should be updated, focusing on
creating incentives for businesses to contribute to the green transition through
transparency and accountability measures.
Ambitious investments in green research and innovation are crucial for reaching EU's
climate target. A number of programmes funded under the forthcoming EU budget
(2021-2027) focus on R&D in climate, energy and the environment. A central
programme is the forthcoming framework programme for research and innovation,
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Horizon Europe. Denmark will work to ensure that the implementation of the relevant
programmes focus on green research and innovation throughout the value chain,
including development of the technology needed for the green transition.
More Environment and Nature and a Healthier Everyday Life
The Commission should propose a coherent political and legal framework for a
sustainable product policy, incorporating waste, product and chemical regulation, and
for the full implementation of the EU's plastic strategy focusing on, among other
things, to create a well-functioning European market for recyclable plastics.
As part of the Green New Deal, a new EU biodiversity strategy should include effective
measures to stop the decline of biological diversity and restore nature. New global
nature targets and a strategic plan for the Biodiversity Convention in China in 2020
must be adopted. Efforts should be made in the EU to stop biodiversity decline and
restore nature and to stop deforestation globally.
A new 8th Environmental Action Programme should amongst others prioritise the
transition to a climate-neutral society by 2050, the transition to a circular economy
and substantially less pollution of air, soil and water, phasing out the most
problematic chemicals, and protecting and restoring nature and biodiversity.
Chemical legislation should be further strengthened, better and uniform regulation of
endocrine disruptors and, in the longer term, to sharpen EU limit values for harmful
substances in the air.
Circular economy
Nature and biodiversity
8
th
Environmental
Action Programme
Less pollution
–
better
health
Global Climate Action and Sustainability
EU leadership in
climate negotiations
The EU should take a leadership role in the COP-negotiations and work for an
ambitious implementation of the Paris Agreement through robust and transparent
rules that foster greater global ambitions. The EU should lead by example with
ambitious reduction targets in line with the Paris Agreement.
The EU should promote greater ambitions at a global scale by including climate
ambitions and SDG7 in all relevant international fora, including 1) the Green Growth
Group, 2) in meetings with other regional groups and 3) through our common climate
diplomacy. It should be a concerted effort in all lines of action.
Climate and environmental concerns should to a larger extent be integrated in the
EU’s trade policy, i.e. chapters on trade and sustainable development in trade
agreements should be strengthened and tariffs and other barriers should be removed
from green products and services. Furthermore, the EU should analyse the
possibilities to introduce a carbon border tax with due respect for WTO regulations.
The new broad Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation
Instrument (NDICI) should integrate climate concerns in all relevant projects and at
least 25 percent of its portfolio should be climate relevant.
Green diplomacy
Green trade policy
Green EU development
policy
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