IEEP Report – “Mainstreaming the environment and climate change in the post-2013 EU budget
Article Type: Feature From: International Journal of Climate Change Strategies and Management, Volume 4, Issue 1
This paper, by the Institute for European Environmental Policy (IEEP), analyses the mainstreaming of climate change, biodiversity and resource efficiency in the European Commissions proposals for the next EU budget. It underlines the positive elements that have been put forward but also raises a number of issues where the mainstreaming approach could falter and offers recommendations on how to ensure mainstreaming delivers in practice. Its key messages are:
The financing of climate change and environmental protection is envisaged to be delivered largely by their “mainstreaming across the 2014-2020 EU budgets. This approach is welcome as it can realize important co-benefits for different policy areas. The quantified earmarking target proposed for climate change is definitely a step in the right direction.
However, the success of a mainstreaming strategy depends on its operationalisation in practice. The current approach needs further development. The proposal features specific provisions on climate change mitigation which are laudable. However, it contains only vague provisions to address other environmental priorities such as biodiversity and more efficient resource use. Effective mechanisms need to be put in place to deliver mainstreaming across key policy areas and avert the risk of policy failure.
Another priority is reforming potentially harmful expenditure. Effective climate and biodiversity proofing of investments should be made a more integral part of the mainstreaming approach of the future EU budget. The commissions draft regulations are therefore crucial. The report is available at: http://www.ieep.eu/assets/839/deep_paper_4_-_mainstreaming_in_eu_budget.pdf
