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

The committee adopted the report by Guido SACCONI (PES, I) amending the proposal under the 1st reading of the codecision procedure. The key amendment adopted would allow Member States to opt for 1990 or 1995 as the base year for measuring emission reductions, whereas the Commission was proposing 1995 only as the compulsory base year. The committee argued that this flexibility in choosing the base year was provided for in the Kyoto Protocol and that it would give due credit to those sectors that had undertaken early action to reduce emissions before 1995. Other amendments stipulated that: - Member States should submit progress reports to the Commission on an annual rather than two-yearly basis; - the names of Member States which fail to fulfil their reporting obligations as regards emissions and projections should be published on the Internet; - the Commission should likewise publish a guide to good practice, mentioning those Member States which observe the legislation most scrupulously; - Member States should designate a specific authority to be responsible for gathering and reporting information; - Member States should inform the Commission of the instruments, units of measurements and methods of calculation used so that it can guage the extent of their accuracy and adopt a body of minimum standards with a view to laying down a Community legal framework; - in the light of its 2005 review, the Commission should make proposals "as quickly as possible" (rather than merely "as appropriate") to ensure that the Community and its Member States meet all their commitments under the Kyoto Protocol.�