Once again the European Commission stands accused of doing something of which we are all guilty: not putting its money where its mouth is. It calls for Europe-wide smoking bans while subsidising tobacco farmers; it throws money at poor countries while reducing their chances to enrich themselves by blocking some of their products.

The latest alleged hypocrisy is giving billions in aid to recent joiners for projects that will contribute to big greenhouse gas emission rises.

Friends of the Earth, the green pressure group, on Wednesday released a report arguing that Brussels’ traditional largesse towards new, poorer members should be more closely aligned with its recently-proclaimed goal to fight climate change.

Last month EU leaders agreed on three ambitious targets for 2020: to reduce greenhouse gases emissions by 20 per cent compared with 1990, to triple renewable power generation to 20 per cent and to cut energy use by 20 per cent.

FoE’s report, “EU cash in climate clash”, showed that the ten mostly ex-communist states propose to dedicate just 2 per cent of the 177bn euro to renewable energy and energy-saving projects.

Within the transport sector, half the funds will go to roads and motorways, says the report. Only 30 per cent is to be spent on railways and 10 per cent for public urban transport such as revitalised tram systems.

Lithuania, the Czech Republic and Slovenia already have more cars per person than Denmark.

FoE’s call for drastic changes is likely to fall on deaf ears. Commissioner Danuta Hubner, a Pole in charge of dishing out the regional and structural funds, says the balance is about right.

Her aides say that much of the tarmac laid will be ring roads, which cut emissions by a third as they reduce congestion in cities. There are also cheap wins in energy efficiency, such as reducing loss from Communist-era heating systems. The collapse of heavily-polluting state enterprises means that their emissions are far below 1990 levels already. 

They also claim that by helping central European industry modernise and innovate its emissions will naturally fall. However, it hasn’t worked out that way in the past. The FoE research also shows that the four countries that have so far received by far the most EU funds per capita - Spain, Portugal, Greece, and Ireland - have also had by far the greatest increases in emissions.

It does seem as though Brussels may be missing a chance to demonstrate how the “low-carbon” industrial revolution promised by Jose Manuel Barroso, the Commission president, can work, building yet more fossil-fuelled economies. 

As for the Commission’s idiosyncratic use of its wallet, expect that to continue. One of the causes it funds is Friends of the Earth.

April 12th, 2007 in Environment | Permalink