EU parliament to tackle its 'carbon footprint'

Parliament may stage more video-conferences instead of sending MEPs and officials on overseas trips in order to cut its ‘carbon footprint’.

The idea is one of several contained in a detailed action plan aimed at finding ways in which the assembly can reduce its own CO2 emissions.

A comprehensive 80-page document looks at possible energy-saving measures which could be taken at parliament’s three buildings, in Brussels, Strasbourg and Luxembourg, plus its transport and waste management.

The report will go for discussion to parliament’s bureau, the key decision-making body comprising president Hans-Gert Poettering and 14 vice-presidents, on 18 June.

One option to be debated is that MEPs make more use of video-conferences in Brussels instead of travelling to sometimes far-flung parts of the globe to attend events such as ACP and bilateral, inter-parliamentary conferences.

A recent study revealed that the monthly journey of 785 MEPs, plus staff, between Brussels and Strasbourg generates 20,000 tonnes of unnecessaary CO2 emissions.

Another possibility is that parliament establishes a minimum quota for using renewable energy, such as solar power, at its three locations. 

Setting a target of 25 per cent of parliament’s energy needs being met from renewables by 2020 has been suggested.

A third proposal is that MEPs and parliamentary staff be encouraged to switch from private to public transport by taking out annual subscriptions, such as season tickets, on buses, trams and metros.

The bureau will also be asked to consider replacing the petrol and diesel-powered cars currently used by MEPs with energy-saving ‘hybrid’ vehicles.

The various proposals were recently discussed by political group coordinators on the environment committee and Poettering, who said the general idea was to create a “carbon neutral” parliament.

“The meeting demonstrated that there is commitment across the political spectrum within parliament for taking concrete action to reduce our carbon emissions,” he said.

“Parliament has been in the frontline in drawing attention to the problem of climate change and in proposing ambitious CO2 reductions for the EU.

“We must now take whatever steps are possible to demonstrate that we take this problem seriously.”

Poettering says that following next month's bureau meeting the first “crucial step” would be to engage independent external experts to scientifically establish the full extent of parliament’s CO2 emissions, or, as he says, "our carbon footprint.”

“Without this overview, it is not possible to set reduction targets and plan the concrete steps to achieve them,” he says.

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