Air pollution, greenhouse gas emissions: monitoring mechanism and implementation of the Kyoto Protocol

PURPOSE: to establish a monitoring mechanism for Community Greenhouse gas emissions and the implementation of the Kyoto Protocol. LEGISLATIVE ACT: Decision No 280/2004/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council concerning a mechanism for monitoring Community greenhouse gas emissions and for implementing the Kyoto Protocol. CONTENT: This Decision seeks to enable the Community and the Member States to better comply with obligations in relation to monitoring, evaluation and the preparation of reports laid down in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, as well as the Kyoto Protocol, each of which seeks to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to sustainable levels. This Decision establishes a mechanism for: - monitoring all anthropogenic emissions by sources and removals by sinks of greenhouse gases not controlled by the Montreal Protocol on substances that deplete the ozone layer in the Member States; - evaluating progress towards meeting commitments in respect of these emissions by sources and removals by sinks; - implementing the UNFCCC and the Kyoto Protocol, as regards national programmes, greenhouse gas inventories, national systems and registries of the Community and its Member States, and the relevant procedures under the Kyoto Protocol; and - ensuring the timeliness, completeness, accuracy, consistency, comparability and transparency of reporting by the Community and its Member States to the UNFCCC Secretariat. Member States and the Commission shall devise and implement national programmes and a Community programme respectively, in order to contribute to the fulfilment of the Community's and its Member States' commitments relating to the limitation and/or reduction of all greenhouse gas emissions under the UNFCCC and the Kyoto Protocol; and the transparent and accurate monitoring of the actual and projected progress made by Member States, including the contribution made by Community measures, in meeting the Community's and its Member States' commitments. To this effect, the use of joint implementation, the clean development mechanism and international emissions trading shall be supplemental to domestic action, in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Kyoto Protocol and the Marrakech Accords. Member States shall make national programmes and updates thereof available to the public, and within three months of their adoption shall inform the Commission.�