Two missed opportunities, or two steps backward for a bigger jump forward?
Dear readers,
#FitFor55: Despite an historic vote banning the sale of combustion and hybrid cars by 2035, the fit for 55 package is far from being a complete success in the latest EU Parliament vote. A fierce battle by some lobbies to defend their interests has been to the detriment of the rest of the society. 30 years after the battle surrounding the first CO2 taxation proposal, the same lobbies are using the same arguments which continue to be taken up by MEPs who listen to them with too much complacency. Free allocations under the ETS have never encouraged CO2 emissions reductions and must be phased out quickly. Their coexistence with CBAM is not WTO compatible, which is another reason why their prolongation until 2034 must be rejected. Let us hope that MEPs will eventually adjust their level of ambition to the challenges facing mankind!
On World Ocean Day this week, we were expecting the International Ocean Governance Communication from the Commission, but alas, it was announced that its adoption will wait a few more weeks. Hopefully it will be on time for the Lisbon UN Ocean Conference and bold enough to address the dangers facing our ocean. Stay tuned as we, Europe Jacques Delors, will publish our own set of proposals for a more coherent and efficient international governance scheme ahead of the UN conference.
EJD attended the Pacific Economic Cooperation Council session in Papeete last week, which this year was devoted to sustainable blue economy. Our main messages, inspired by the Starfish 2030 mission but adapted to the specificities of the Pacific region, were focused on the need to make better use of traditional knowledge for the conservation and sustainable exploitation of resources; the necessity to fight overfishing by monitoring the massive EEZ of French Polynesia; as well as the opportunities offered by marine renewable energies, with particular attention given to thermal energies such as Sea water air conditioning (SWAC) or Ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC).
Geneviève Pons