The European Parliament,

- having regard to the motion for a resolution tabled by Mr Collins and others on energy and the environment (B3-0223/90),

- having regard to Articles 100a and 130r-130t of the EEC Treaty,

- having regard to the Council resolution (88/7466/EEC) of 16 September 1988 on the Community's energy policy objectives for 1995,

- having regard to the Council recommendation (88/611/EEC) of 8 November 1988 to promote cooperation between public utilities and auto-producers of electricityOJ No L 335, 7.12.1988,

- having regard to the conclusions of the Council on energy and the environment of 21 May and 29 October 1990,

- having regard to its resolution of 26 June 1989 on the internal energy marketOJ No C 158, 26.6.1989, p. 514,

- having regard to the communication from the Commission to the Council on energy and the environment - COM(89) 0369 - of 8 February 1990,

- having regard to the report of the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Consumer Protection (A3-0124/91),

A. whereas the 1987 World Commission report on environment and development (Brundtland) concluded that the world's gross energy consumption would have to be halved over the next forty to fifty years to achieve sustained development,

B.whereas world population is expected to double by the year 2010 such that demand for energy must necessarily grow overall, particularly in the third world and developing countries,

C. stressing that explicit reference has been made to this recommendation several times at many meetings of the Community's Heads of State and by the European Council of 21 May 1990,

D. having regard to the global damage resulting from the use of fossil fuel, including the depletion of the ozone layer and stimulation of the greenhouse effect,

E. having regard to smog formation, acidification and oxygen depletion in the sea,

F .whereas there is a risk of polluting ground water with heavy metals through the dumping of ash, slag and gas scrubbing residues at unsuitable sites,

G. having regard to the serious and unresolved problems associated with nuclear power production and the storage of radioactive materials,

H. whereas, moreover, a policy that attempts to replace fossil fuel with nuclear power to resolve the major problem of the greenhouse effect is doomed to failure,

I. whereas renewable energy sources are the only environmentally sound sources of supply in the long term,

J. whereas the best overall method of reducing emissions in the energy sector is to cut down fuel consumption,

K. whereas there are two methods of reducing energy consumption:

- more efficient energy use (technical energy-saving),

- more efficient energy production (fuel-efficient supply systems),

1.Affirms the overriding and urgent need for a global response to the problem of the greenhouse effect embracing not only energy policy but also agriculture, forestry, waste management and industrial policy;

2. Points to the need to draw up a number of clear objectives with a view to reducing emissions in the Community if sustainable development is to be achieved in which due account is taken of the fact that the various Member States are starting from very different levels of pollution and of development;

3. Points out, moreover, that the following reductions must be attained by the year 2040 (compared with 1988 levels):

- a 90% reduction in SO2 discharges,

- a 75% reduction in NOx discharges and

- a 75% reduction in CO2 discharges;

4. Stresses that the principal objective is a 50% reduction in the Community's gross energy consumption by the year 2040;

5. Points out that, as a consequence of the above objectives, any shorter term energy planning must be in line with the main objective to halve the Community's gross energy consumption by the year 2040;

6. Points out that, in the light of this, energy policy should be based on efficient utilization of energy and improving end-use efficiency;

7. Calls for the EC building materials directive to be expanded so that subsequent work in CEN is based on measures aimed at maximizing energy savings;

8 .Calls for a Commission communication on transport and the environment;

9. Calls for the promotion of technologies which make use of renewable energy sources from the point of view of distribution, demonstration, research and development;

10. Calls for structural changes in all areas with a view to improving energy efficiency;

11. Calls for the introduction of the optimal existing technologies to reduce the environmental impact of using fossil and fissile fuel to a minimum;

12. Calls for the progressive increase in and harmonization of energy taxes and levies for fossil and nuclear energy sources and for the subsequent introduction of taxes and levies on the environmental pollution to which they give rise;

13. Considers that these levies are regressive in their effect on the personal distribution of income and that their introduction must therefore be offset by greater increases in budgetary expenditure; takes the view, in particular, that their potential proceeds should be channelled into budget funds earmarked for the reduction of social and regional inequalities, for research and development programmes and for the investments needed to protect the environment in the Community, the countries of Eastern Europe and the developing countries;

14. Stresses that under no circumstances should a CO2 levy be used to encourage nuclear energy;

15. Stresses the potential benefits of making greater use of economic instruments in the field of energy and the environment with the aim of improving the economic efficiency of energy saving and rational energy use measures, increasing the use of rnewable energy sources and limiting environmental pollution particularly from fossil fuels;

16. Calls also, in conjunction with the introduction of a CO2 levy, for the introduction of an environmental levy on nuclear-generated electricity to offset at least the increased cost of using fossil fuels when compared with nuclear-generated electricity, and for the proceeds of this levy to be used for research and development into increasing the use of renewable energy sources;

17. Calls on the Commission to draw up a directive on the standardization of electricity pricing systems aimed at promoting as far as possible a pricing policy which encourages energy saving measures among consumers;

18. Points out that such an adjustment of energy levies is an efficient way of bringing socio-economic and environmental costs into line with consumer costs;

19. Considers in particular that, with this in mind, more encouragement should be given to the production of (electrical and fuel) energy from biomass in view of the environmental advantages that would accrue (particularly for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions);

20 .Considers that cutting energy consumption in the transport sector is of prime importance and calls for a firm policy both to encourage the use of public transport, particularly in urban areas, and to promote the long-distance carriage of goods by rail rather than by road;

21. Calls on the Commission as a matter of urgency to draw up proposals to confirm and enshrine in Community law the principle embodied in Article 130r to the effect that producers should bear full responsibility for any damage caused to individuals, property or the environment by operators in the nuclear power sector, both in regard to the management of fissile materials and radioactive waste and to potential accidents;

22. Urges the Commission to draw up a proposal affirming and incorporating into European law the principle embodied in Article 130r providing for the comprehensive and unlimited civil liability of producers for any damage caused to persons, property and the environment by operators in the nuclear power sector, both in regard to the management of fissile material and radioactive waste and to potential accidents;

23. Calls for the closure of at an early date of unsafe nuclear power stations and the development of measures aimed at:

- assessing accurately the safety of existing or planned installations;

- steadily increasing the safety of nuclear installations;

- resolving the problem of radioactive waste in a manner compatible with the safety of the environment;

24. Calls for the basic standards for protection against ionizing radiation to be reviewed in accordance with Article 31 of the Euratom Treaty, taking account of the most recent scientific data which indicate that these standards should be reduced by a factor of at least 10;

25. Calls for an end to all reprocessing of irradiated nuclear fuels and all manufacture of mixed uranium-plutonium fuels in keeping with the principle laid down by the ICRP (to the effect that for any activity involving exposure to radiation, it needs to be shown that the advantages considerably outweigh the risks and costs incurred);

26. Calls on the Commission to draw up a directive introducing a levy to restrict overproduction of electricity for generating heat;

27. Requests the Commission to propose incentives for the etablishment of combined electricity and heat generation facilities, in keeping with the principle of geographic proximity between electricity generation and energy and heat consumption;

28. Calls on the Commission to convert the Council's recommendation of 8 November 1988 to promote cooperation between public utilities and auto-producers of electricity into a directive and to clarify its provisions, removing legal obstacles and laying down reasonable contractual terms for the sale of electricity;

29. Recommends that the Commission submit a proposal for a regulation making it compulsory for energy-saving appliances and/or equipment to be marked as such as and clear information to be provided;

30 .Calls on the Commission to draw up a framework directive laying down minimum energy efficiency standards for all energy-consuming or transforming equipment;

31. Calls for the adoption of a regulation banning the use of heavy fuel oil without desulphurization, in accordance with Directive 88/609/EEC;

32. Calls for the prompt harmonization, at the highest level, of standards for the various types of electricity-generating plants, covering emission, plant safety and the protection of workers and the population at large;

33. Calls on the Commission to carry out an assessment of the ecological and health costs of electro-magnetic pollution caused by the transport and distribution of electricity;

34. Proposes that the principle of least cost planning should form the basis of all investment in energy production and that environmental costs should be incorporated;

35. Calls for priority to be given to the criterion of reducing the demand for energy when projects are selected for investment aid by the European Investment Bank, under the Structural Funds and the various special regional aid programmes;

36. Calls for substantial changes in the R and D budget, in line with the European Parliament's position, to promote renewable energy sources;

37. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, Commission and the Governments and Parliaments of the Member States.