European laws adopted within the framework of the ‘Climate and Energy Package’ and aimed at reducing CO2 emissions have now been published in the EU’s statute book, the so-called Official Journal. This means that the clock starts ticking to implement the legislation. Each of the 27 Member States has 18 months to implement the RED into national law, meaning the deadline will be around October 2010. For the FQD, implementation is required by 31 December 2010. Besides the Renewable Energy Directive (RED) and the Fuel Quality Directive (FQD), EU countries will also translate laws relating to emissions trading, passenger car emissions and carbon capture and storage among others. To view the RED, click here. To view the FQD, click here.

In May, the German Bundesrat (upper parliamentary chamber) refused to give its consent to proposed changes to national biofuels legislation. The Bundesrat’s approval is needed to enable the adoption of proposals that were agreed by the Bundestag (lower chamber) in late April after months of heated political debate and the withdrawal of specific sustainability requirements for palm oil and soybean oil. The upper chamber does not support the lowering of Germany’s obligatory biofuels quota, which it wants to maintain at 6.25. It is also demanding further tax breaks for biodiesel and vegetable oil. The matter is now being dealt with by a conciliation committee made up of representatives of both parliamentary chambers, which is set to meet again to discuss the beleaguered biofuels law on 18 June.

Centre-right parties have been strengthened in the European Parliament elections, which took place from 4-7 June. Some environmentalists fear that the centre-right’s traditional pro-business stance and the loss of some of its “greener” members in the new Parliament could translate into less overall support for green legislation. However, the Green Party was also able to boost their share of votes and win 8 additional seats. The second-largest political grouping in the Parliament, the Socialists, took a battering throughout Europe, which could lead them to take a more leftist stance and work more closely with the greens. The next Parliament will play an important role in environmental and climate change policies, as well as regulation in the food area. Meanwhile, the success of the centre-right, particularly in France and Germany, means that the re-appointment of European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso is virtually certain. For the latest election results, click here.

Policy-makers and NGOs are pushing European governments to be ambitious ahead of the Copenhagen Summit. On 4 June, EU Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas urged: “The climate conference in December is the world’s last chance to prevent the dangerous, perhaps even catastrophic levels of climate change that are projected by scientists to occur as early as 2050”. To view the full speech, click here. Meanwhile, international climate talks opened in Bonn (1-12 June) with the topic of Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD) figuring high on the agenda. Environmental NGOs such as Greenpeace launched campaigns during the Bonn talks to increase pressure on governments and ensure Europe keeps its ambitions high despite the economic crisis. To view Greenpeace’s press release, click here.