News on the environment from our MEP

1.48.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Sun 22nd Jun 2008

Bill Newton Dunn

1. The Waste Directive to increase Recycling - Yesterday, the European Parliament approved binding targets for the recycling of waste by 2020 that the European Union's 27 member states must include in national plans or face legal action by Brussels. The rules seek to achieve recycling of 50 percent of waste from households and 70 percent of hazardous materials. The sheer fact that concrete targets had been accepted despite strong opposition in some capitals was a victory for MEPs. National governments are increasingly difficult to negotiate with. As the recession bites, they know that this legislation will cost money so they become reluctant to accept the parliament's amendments. According to Brussels estimates, Europe generates around 1.8 billion tonnes of waste, which is an average of 3.5 tonnes per person, mainly from households, commercial enterprises such as shops or restaurants, industry, agriculture and construction and demolition projects.

2. Climate Change - IATA (the world association of airlines) gave a briefing recently to the parliament. Their goal is a 25% efficiency gain by 2020. Rising oil prices are a strong economic incentive to them. Every possibility is being explored : for example, British Airways has calculated that one tea-bag airborne for a year uses a litre of fuel. A unified European air space with a unified air-traffic control system would save over 10% of aircraft emissions. IATA's nightmare is that the world's governments may fail to work together but develop different conflicting solutions.