Letter to MEPs: 'The ETS needs replacing with real emission reduction measures'

15.04.2013
Climate

Thursday, 11 April 2013

To: Members of the European Parliament

Brussels

Dear Member of the European Parliament

The ETS needs replacing with real emission reduction measures

On Tuesday 16th April you will vote on the proposal to backload 900 million emissions permits within the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS), making an important decision on the future of the EU climate policy. We would like to bring to your attention the position of over 125 civil society organisations, movements and networks from around the world arguing that “It is time to scrap the ETS” so that effective climate action can be put in place (see declaration attached).

This position is a fundamentally different stance than that of big energy intensive industries and climate change deniers who call for a rejection of the backloading proposal. We are calling for effective and fair climate regulation both in the EU and internationally which the EU ETS is blocking from happening.

We believe that the existence of the EU ETS has blocked discussion of real alternatives for seven years now. Worse still, the EU ETS has actively weakened policies like the Energy Efficiency Directive, the Large Combustion Plants Directive and held back expanding feed-in tariff initiatives.

This vote assumes the EU ETS can be reformed. We want to bring your attention to a new report (enclosed) -“EU ETS myth busting: why it can't be reformed and shouldn't be replicated” - which will be launched 15th April. It looks at a number of claims made in defense of the EU ETS and shows why they are not valid. The problems of the EU ETS are systemic and unresolvable.

We also attach a document that takes up the three concerns most commonly raised and argues that the major obstacle to effective climate action has been the EU ETS – and that it should therefore be abolished by 2020 and replaced with ambitious regulatory action to tackle climate change.

Threats posed by climate change will not be tackled with a market-dependent trading instrument which acts mainly as a subsidy for the big polluters. It will take a political battle and vigorous choices to adopt stronger targets and policies for reducing emissions at source which can effectively enforce the transformation of EU energy infrastructure and put an end to industrial use of fossil fuels. Keeping this failed system in place would further delay real action for reducing emissions in Europe.

On behalf of the undersigned NGOs please consider the arguments outlined in the attached documents. We would welcome to meet with you and discuss our vision for effectively tackling climate change.

Sincerely,

Carbon Trade Watch, Corporate Europe Observatory, CounterBalance, FERN, re:Common, Transnational Institute.