Across the EU

Key Facts

• Single -8% EU Kyoto Protocol target for greenhouse gas emissions
• Burden Sharing Agreement allocates target between Member States; UK target is -12.5%
• EU Emissions Trading Scheme is one of the key instruments to help achieve emission reductions across Europe, which started on 1st Jan 2005
• JI and CDM credits introduced through 'Linking Directive'.

The European Community signed the Kyoto Protocol on 29th April 1998. Under the Protocol, the 15 European states had been assigned a single emissions reduction target of 8% on average over 2008-2012 from 1990 baseline. A Burden Sharing Agreement was agreed, which is outlined below.

GHG reduction target under the European Burden Sharing Agreement (1990* - 2008/12)

EU Directives That Will Impact the UK

There are a number of EU directives that will have significant impacts for UK business and public sector organisations in the short to medium term. These include: the EU Directive on the Energy Performance of Buildings; the EU Large Combustion Plant Directive (LCPD) restricting the emission of SO2 and NOx still further from 2008; the EU Renewables Directive; and
the EU Emissions Trading Directive (EU ETS) .