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The Lisbon Treaty and the Environment

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  • 29-09-2009 11:25am
    #1
    Tarobot
    Closed Accounts Posts: 181 ✭✭


    Hi guys,

    It's an issue that hasn't come up a lot but I wanted to highlight the articles in the Lisbon Treaty that will positively impact on environmental issues, particularly climate change.

    Some might argue that the European Union already does a lot for the environment but most of this work has been carried out without the proper legal basis. A decision last Wednesday (23rd Sept.) by the Court of First Instance of the European Communities has highlighted how important legal basis is for collective EU action on climate change:
    PRESS RELEASE No° 76/09
    Judgments of the Court of First Instance in Case T-183/07 and in Case T-263/07
    Poland v Commission
    Estonia v Commission
    THE COURT OF FIRST INSTANCE ANNULS THE COMMISION DECISIONS CONCERNING THE NATIONAL ALLOCATION PLANS (NAPS) OF POLAND AND ESTONIA FOR GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSION ALLOWANCES

    By imposing, in its review of NAPs, a ceiling on emission allowances to be allocated, the Commission exceeded its powers

    http://curia.europa.eu/jcms/upload/docs/application/pdf/2009-09/cp090076en.pdf


    And for those who are interested, below are the directly relevant Lisbon articles on the environment and climate change. There are others that will most definitely have a positive impact, such as the establishment of a European Research Area (Art. 179 TFEU).

    Articles 3.3 and 3.5 TEU set out the new objectives of the ‘sustainable development of Europe’ and ‘a high level of protection and improvement of the quality of the environment’.

    Article 21.2 TEU establishes that the EU will work towards the sustainable management of global natural resources and develop international measures for sustainable development around the world.

    Article 191 TFEU contains the new objective of ‘combating climate change’.

    Article 194 TFEU sets up an EU policy on energy that aims towards a secure, sustainable energy supply while promoting energy efficiency and the development of renewable energy.


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