9 Amendments of Alyn SMITH related to 2008/2055(INI)
Amendment 8 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Stresses that the main energy challenges facing the EU as well as the firm objective to cut worldwide emissions necessitate the development of affordable, low carbon and renewable energy technologies; in this respect believes that the budget should allow for sufficient financial means to reach the goals in the European Strategic Energy Technology Plan; notes that it should not be financed through the redeployment of funds made available for Community programmes for research and innovation;
Amendment 9 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3a. Calls on the Commission to analyse how new financing possibilities can be used to speed up renewable projects of European interest, with specific reference to: (i) the development of the necessary network infrastructure to develop off- shore wind and marine energy potentials in the North Sea and the Baltic Sea; (ii) the development of interconnectors with Mediterranean countries in order to fully exploit the vast potential of wind and solar thermal electricity potential in southern EU and neighbouring countries; (iii) the take-up of biomass based district heating and cooling networks in northern and eastern Member States in combination with a major programme of retrofitting of the existing building stock;
Amendment 12 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Highlights that energy efficiency is the most cost-effective way of delivering quick returns in fighting climate change and has the greatest cost-effective potential for emission reduction in the medium-term; believes that greater investment is particularly needed to make the building sector more energy efficient; considers the Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme (CIP) as one of the main financial instruments for energy efficiency and calls for additional resources to be allocated to energy efficiency initiatives for both the production and the consumer side;
Amendment 14 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Strongly emphasises that research and innovation are central to achieving a dynamic knowledge-based European economy driven by growth and the creation of socially and environmentally sustainable jobs; stresses that an increase in the availability of funding is a prerequisite for a successful research and innovation policy;
Amendment 18 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Calls for the continued and increased support and resources for the Entrepreneurship and Innovation Programme within the CIP which provides the key financial instruments for the advancement of SMEs in Europe; emphasises that in terms of innovation SMEs should be encouraged to work closely together with universities to stimulate knowledge transfer; believes that priority research funding should be given to research centres which coordinate their efforts in the research triangle with industry (especially SMEs) and academia, in order to stimulate knowledge transfer and to commercialise research quickly;
Amendment 20 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Points out that energy efficiency and climate change are considered to be key priorities for the Union but are not sufficiently and coherently reflected in the EU budget; the creation of a dedicated budget line or specific sub-headings for investments in climate change mitigation and adaptation would be a possible improvement, in addition to integrating climate change objectives into existing programmes;
Amendment 25 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Points out that financial support is needed for the development of unbundled Trans-European Energy Networks which play an important role in the strategic energy policy and for the development of Trans-European e-services with special regard to data security; demands that Trans-European Network funding be devoted exclusively to sustainable projects, and that projects incompatible with EU environmental law not be financed;
Amendment 26 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Stresses the need for financial resources to be deployed for European regulaCalls for the abolition of all EU funding tor that deals with nuclear security and safety and establishes and monitors unified rules, processes and standards for the handling of nuclear materials and consequential accidentse nuclear sector; believes that nuclear decommissioning should be the responsibility of the private sector.
Amendment 29 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 10 a (new)
Paragraph 10 a (new)
10a. Calls on the European Union to make full use of revenues from the Emissions Trading Scheme for the purposes of addressing the challenges associated with fighting climate change: (i) 50% of the total quantity of allowances to be auctioned to be set aside for the Commission to auction in order to finance greenhouse gas reductions, avoid deforestation and degradation, and adaptation to climate change; (ii) all auction revenues should be earmarked for climate change objectives; these include schemes to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, the development of renewable energy (in particular the construction of a "smart grid"), facilitating developing countries' avoidance of and adaptation to the consequences of climate change, promoting climate friendly means of transport, and addressing social issues in lower income households, like insulation.