EU Environmental Protection Policy

The idea of environmental preservation and economic growth being naturally conflicting is evolving. More corporations and countries understand that sustainable growth can be achieved in an economically viable way, a concept strongly exemplified by the European Union. Established to remove economic and political barriers among European nations, the EU has pioneered the balance of environmental responsibility and growth. Despite imperfections, it stands as a prime example of a supranational organization benefiting both the environment and the economy.

The EU, with its 28 diverse member states, exhibits a range of environmental policies from the strict approaches of Northern countries like Denmark and Sweden to those like Spain, which lacked internal environmental policies before EU membership. Eastern European countries, aspiring for EU membership, are also adapting their environmental strategies.

Despite challenges from complexity and bureaucracy, the EU’s efforts in promoting sustainable growth set a precedent for future organizations. As the EU continues to integrate environmental and economic issues, it’s hoped their approach will inspire global adoption.

EU Environmental Protection Policies

Today, the impact of climate change and global warming is a primary focus for regional and international organizations. From minor health risks to the depletion of non-renewable resources, nations are concerned about the potential future implications. Similar to other developed nations, European countries are actively seeking solutions to mitigate risks posed by global warming. Significantly, the European Union has become a leader in environmental protection, awareness, and advocacy, evident in its policies regarding global warming since the early 1970s.

Europeans have been strong advocates for environmental protection since the early theories of global warming in the 1970s and 1980s, influenced by climate-related disasters experienced since the early 19th century. However, the EU and its predecessors initially overlooked the importance of the environment in the early stages of European integration. According to McCormick (1995), the European Economic Community members focused on developing European economic power. National governments emphasized that dimensions like education and the environment were not economic issues. However, contradictions were noted in the Treaty of the EEC, Article 36, which allowed member states to prioritize environmental protection nationally.

Establishment of EURATOM Treaty and EU Environmental Policies

The EURATOM Treaty marked the beginning of the European Union’s first environmental policies. This treaty set unique safety standards to protect workers and the public from radiation hazards in workplaces or other locations. In 1959, the EURATOM Treaty laid the foundation for what is now known as Directive 59/221, establishing basic standards and protective clauses for health workers and the public against radiation hazards from nuclear and chemical sources.

The Paris and Rome Treaties initially opposed this Directive, viewing it as unrelated to the common market’s creation. However, the 1960s brought a growing awareness in Europe and the USA about environmental impacts due to improved living standards. This led to a comprehensive movement against actions harmful to the environment, with European citizens and governments recognizing the seriousness of environmental protection.

According to Hey (2005), the European public and younger generations became active in urging the EEC to address environmental issues to maintain national welfare. Calls were made to shift focus from solely economic changes to long-term public impacts, including environmental concerns. Significant disasters between 1966 and 1969, like those in Wales, England, California, and Japan, prompted the EEC to adopt the First Environmental Action Program (EAP) in November 1973. This program set principles and objectives for the EEC to create its community policy on the environment, integrating environmental protection into economic development. The Second EAP in 1977 further established principles now central to EU’s environmental policies.

Challenges arose in implementing foundational environmental protection policies, especially in aligning member states’ policies with the European Environmental Agency’s authority and the execution of environmental programs given the varied nature of policy creation and enforcement among member states. An example is Spain, which implemented only 79% of environmental directives. Additionally, a gap existed in allowing member states to apply environmental policies without conflicting with Community policies, given the EEC’s lean towards economic development and policy-making. Despite these challenges, the EU continued to evolve its policies, structure, and member states’ integration into its environmental framework.

Evolution of EU Environmental Policies through EAPs

The inadequacies of the first two Environmental Action Programs (EAPs) led to the Single European Act working with the third EAP to revise the Treaty of Rome, incorporating environmental protection. These revisions made environmental protection a legal area of the European Commission (EC) / EU, recognized in all future EU policy guidelines. Directorate XI was established to handle all environmental policy discussions.

The Treaty of Rome, as explained by Connelly and Smith (2003), included new articles making environmental laws mandatory for all member states. The fourth EAP (1987-1992) shifted focus to aligning the internal market with environmental protection, using a sectoral approach to assess the impact of economic development on the environment. It supported policy creation, including taxes and subsidies for environmental regulation.

With the 1993 Maastricht Treaty, the EU maintained its environmental protection authority from the EEC era, emphasizing sustainable economic power without compromising environmental decisions. The fifth EAP (1993-2000) integrated the first four EAPs, adopting a stronger stance towards sustainable development. The sixth EAP (2000-2003) differed, focusing on identifying and legislating environmental issues, covering topics like pesticides, recycling, and emission policies.

EU environmental policies are also embedded in its structure. The European Commission develops and legislates EU environmental policies, influencing member states’ implementation. The Commission drafts policies, particularly EAPs, for the Council of Ministers’ approval. The Directorate-General for the Environment (GD XI) leads environmental initiatives, ensuring policy implementation and addressing delays in EU environmental policymaking. The European Council plays a limited but crucial role in discussing and implementing policies, while the European Parliament votes on legislation and budgets, referring policies not meeting its standards to the Conciliation Committee for compromise amendments.

EU as a Leader in Environmental Policy

The EU is a leader in ecological policy, evident in its directives, history, and how environmental protection is embedded in Union policy. As McCormick highlighted, the EU is unique in enforcing policies that bind all its members. Since the mid-1970s, it has been central to national environmental controls, aligning them with international and proposed EU standards. These include various issues ranging from fuel, air, sulfur dioxide, pollutants, and nitrogen dioxide across member states, leading to common environmental policies.

The EU has issued diverse directives covering major environmental issues: 12 for water pollution, 14 on energy conservation, 21 on waste management, and 24 on air pollution. The EU’s environmental policy continues to evolve, backed by EAPs and Union programs. The Civil Society Institute (2012) highlighted EU environmental policy as a key legislative component, promoting sustainability. The Lisbon Treaty of 2007 and the Europe 2020 Strategy continued this emphasis.

The 7th EAP (2002-2012) identified urgent issues: climate change, nature and biodiversity, environment and health, and natural resources and waste. It led to directives like the EU Landfill Directive, aiming to reduce landfill waste significantly by 2020. Internationally, the EU played a key role in UN negotiations, contributing to the Kyoto Protocol for carbon emission reduction.

Additionally, the 2008 EU Climate Change Package formalized targets for renewable energy and greenhouse gas emission reductions. The EU developed an Emission Trading System in 2002 to limit CO2 emissions in key industries. This package also included aviation emissions and initiatives like carbon capture and storage. In 2008, the EU committed to reducing emissions from new cars and factories, penalizing excessive emissions. By 2009, the European Court of Justice allowed member states to set their CO2 emission limits.