The ENVE commission has been dealing recently with a number of important energy and environmental topics ranging from energy efficiency, climate change to the internal energy market.
However, focus is now on the future legislation on waste, in particular plastic waste, which is of particular relevance for LRAs. After adopting in outlook opinion on the future targets on waste, the ENVE commission has appointed on 24 April the EA coordinator and from Runnymede, Mrs Linda Gillham as rapporteur on the green paper on an EU strategy on Plastic Waste in the Environment. Landfill ban, taxes for energy recovery, voluntary or obligatory separate door collection, eco design rules will be issues the new rapporteur will have to address.
When it comes to shale gas, a matter of great concern for many environmentalists and a promising energy source for those who see it as a hope to reduce dependence from oil imports, Cllr Brian Meaney, EA member and CoR Rapporteur, pledges to provide a balanced opinion to assess the major implication and impacts on LRAs of the extraction activities of unconventional gases. Fracking operations require huge amounts of water and adequate waste water treatment plants ensuring that the water containing chemical is safely stored. Whereas some advocates the role of shale gas in providing cheaper energy while reducing CO2 emission, critics are concerned about the impact of such operation on the environment. Seismicity, well abandonment, water contamination and risks of reducing significantly investment in renewable are identified as potential risks.
