European environmental policy is based on Articles 174 to 176 of the EC Treaty (Articles 191 to 193 of the future Treaty on the Functioning of the EU). Harmonising legislation is generally passed jointly by the Council of Ministers and the European Parliament through the co-decision procedure. Moreover, according to Article 6 of the EC Treaty (Article 11 TFEU), environmental conservation requirements must also be taken into account when establishing and implementing other Community policies. The new Treaty on the Functioning of the EU mentions the battle against climate change as a particular aim of European environmental policy for the first time (in Article 191, paragraph 1).Climate change has become a dominant EU policy issue over the years. At the European Council meeting in March 2007, the heads of state and government agreed on a unilateral EU-wide 20 % reduction in greenhouse gases by 2020 compared to 1990 levels. In the event of similar commitments by the other industrialised nations and an appropriate contribution - depending on capacity - from the large transition countries and major greenhouse gas emitters (China, India, Russia, Brazil, etc.), the EU reduction target will be raised to 30 %. A global agreement is due to be signed in December 2009, under the auspices of the United Nations, on greenhouse gas reductions and the distribution of the financial burden of adapting to the effects of climate change.
For further information on EU environmental policy and legislation, please see the following websites:
- http://europa.eu/legislation_summaries/environment/index_de.htm
- http://ec.europa.eu/environment/policy_en.htm
