Italy’s national allocation plan (NAP), which is the 21st to be assessed by the European Commission (EC), was accepted on the condition that certain changes are made, including a reduction in the total number of emission allowances proposed.
Indeed, the commission revealed that Italy’s cleared annual allocation is 195.8 million tonnes of CO2 allowances, 6.3% less than the figure that the country had proposed. This is the equivalent of 13.2 million tonnes less each year during 2008 to 2012.
In addition, the EU said that as it also makes its assessment on the basis of non-discrimination, it will require Italy to provide more information on how the country will treat new entrants to the emissions trading scheme (ETS). Italy also needs to include combustion installations in its allocation plan, the EC said.
EU environment commissioner Stavros Dimas said: Europe is fully committed to achieving its Kyoto target and to making the emissions trading scheme a successful weapon for fighting climate change. Today’s decision, like our previous ones, sends a strong signal of that commitment.
The ETS ensures that greenhouse gas emissions from the energy and industry sectors covered are cut at least cost to the economy, thus helping the EU and its member states to meet their emission commitments under the Kyoto Protocol.
NAPs determine for each EU member state the limit on the total amount of CO2 that installations covered by the ETS can emit, and specify how many CO2 emission allowances each plant will receive.
