By Jean Christou
CYPRUS is one of only three EU member states that has failed to see a fall or convergence in per capita greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) since 1990, an EU report on progress towards Kyoto objectives for 2020 said on Tuesday. The other two are Malta and Portugal.
The report is an annual offering to the European Parliament from the Commission based on data reported by member states.
According to latest estimates, EU greenhouse gas emissions in 2013 fell by 1.8 per cent overall compared to 2012 and reached the lowest levels since 1990.
During the period 1990-2012, the combined GDP of the EU grew by 45 per cent while total GHG emissions excluding aviation, decreased by 19 per cent.
“So not only is the EU well on track to reach the 2020 target, it is also well on track to overachieve it,” the Commission said.
Cyprus however is not. Per capita GHG output was up 0.1 per cent between 1990 and 2012, though Portugal and Malta fared worse, up 0.3 per cent and 1.3 per cent respectively.
“In all member states except Cyprus, Malta and Portugal, per capita emissions have been decreasing and converging since 1990,” the report said.
Cyprus was also way off track for meeting its 2020 targets. EU member states have committed to reducing average annual emissions by 20 per cent during the 2013-2020 period. Cyprus also aims to raise the penetration of renewable energy sources (RES) in the power grid and its goal is to generate 13 per cent of the gross final energy consumption from RES by 2020.
However, according to the Commission’s report, Cyprus came in last place out of all member states on reducing GHG emissions. The gap between 2020 projections and 2020 targets for the island came in as a shortfall of 45 per cent.
Cyprus also came in second to last place – after Hungary – when it came to the gap between 2013 emissions and 2013 targets, with a 15 per cent shortfall.
EU Climate Action Commissioner Connie Hedegaard said of the report’s overall results: “Delivering on 2020 climate goals shows that Europe is ready to step up its act. And better, still: it shows that the EU is delivering substantial cuts. The policies work.”
She said EU leaders last week decided to continue their ambitious plan to reach cuts of at least 40 per cent by 2030. “This will require significant investments,” she said.
The progress report for the first time provided data on the use of fiscal revenues from auctioning allowances in the EU Emission Trading System (ETS). The new source of revenues for member states amounted to €3.6 billion in 2013. From this, around €3 billion will be used for climate and energy related purposes, the report said.
