COUNCIL RESOLUTION of 3 March 1975 on energy and the environment

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the declaration of the Council of the European Communities and of the representatives of the Governments of the Member States, meeting in the Council of 22 November 1973, on the programme of action of the European Communities in the environment (1) and the undertaking to implement this programme within the prescribed period;

Whereas on 3 April 1974 the Commission forwarded the communication entitled "Preliminary report on the problems of pollution and nuisances relating to energy production";

Whereas production and consumption of energy, both within the Member States of the European Communities and in the world as a whole, continue to increase;

Whereas the consumption of energy may, in the absence of adequate preventive measures, pose grave ecological problems such as those connected with the extraction, transportation, conversion and use of energy, with particular reference to air and water pollution and waste disposal;

Whereas in the near future, nuclear energy will join conventional sources as one of the main sources of energy supply ; whereas by its special nature it requires constant supervision of its possible effects and reinforcement of environmental protection projects and research; 1. Affirms that the maintenance of a sufficient level of energy production and the need to protect the environment must be reconciled with the concern for bettering our society and the quality of life, and that a fair balance should be struck between these two requirements;

2. Notes in this connection that energy-conserving measures are, as a general rule, also measures to preserve the environment and that the principles of sound environmental management, e.g. techniques for recycling and re-using waste materials, may be very important for the conservation of energy and resources in the widest sense;

3. Stresses that, despite temporary or long-term supply problems, there should be no lowering of quality standards and no slackening of efforts to protect and improve the environment, nor should those efforts be pursued with any less diligence;

4. Considers that it is the duty of the Communities and the Member States to: (a) take environmental protection requirements into account in all energy policy strategy by taking effective measures;

(b) take all relevant and appropriate measures to promote the conservation and the rational and economical use of energy resources, including: - more efficient use, in the various areas of human activity, of energy resources not harmful to the environment;

- the development and introduction of techniques for recycling and re-using waste materials;

(c) take, if need be, the necessary measures for reducing even further, as compared with the present situation, the harmful environmental impact of energy production and use;

5. Takes note of the Commission's preliminary report on the problems of pollution and nuisances relating to energy production ; invites the Commission to examine the report at expert level with the Permanent Representatives Committee, bearing in mind the most recent forecasts of future oil consumption patterns as well as cost levels, and to submit proposals on policies to be followed by the Communities and Member States on matters, the importance of which will be indicated by this further discussion of the preliminary report, notably (2): (1) OJ No C 112, 20.12.1973, p. 1. (2) The items listed under A, B and C are included as problems and options to be studied and do not necessarily imply commitments in advance of such studies. A. Thermal discharges 1. collation of existing data on the effects of thermal discharges on the environment and further study in this field;

2. exchange of information at Community level on planning the siting of new power plants, taking into account pollution and nuisance hazards;

3. the need, wherever environmental protection so requires, to equip new power stations with cooling towers and to improve as rapidly as possible the design and technology of dry cooling towers, so as to diminish the disadvantages which the latter still present with regard to certain aspects of the environment;

4. utilization of waste heat.

B. Sulphur dioxide 1. reduction of the sulphur content of gas oils;

2. regulations on the sulphur content and use of heavy fuel oils;

3. greater rationalization of the supply of low-pollution fuels, such as crude oil with a low sulphur content, to users of heavily polluting fuels in particularly polluted areas;

4. promotion of the development of desulphurization and other processes for selectively reducing the discharge of sulphur dioxide into the atmosphere and encouragement, in particular, in setting up pilot plants as soon as they have become technically feasible;

5. promotion of efficient use of fuels.

C. Nitrogen oxides 1. intensification of research relating to the effects of nitrogen oxides on man and the environment;

2. the development of methods for taking appropriate measures;

3. implementation of preventive measures to reduce sources of pollution by oxides of nitrogen pending advances in our knowledge of this field.

6. Considers that the Communities and the Member States should study the special problems associated with the development of atomic energy, and particularly the dangers of radiation, and the problems of reactor safety, thermal discharge, radioactive waste, and the re-processing of atomic fuels;

7. Notes that the Commission has already submitted proposals on point 5 ; stresses the urgency of examining them and takes note that the Commission will submit: (a) further proposals concerning points 5 and 6;

(b) proposals for a harmonized policy for the solution of environment problems connected with the production and use of energy, taking account of the steps mentioned in the Community programme and in particular the fixing of environmental standards;

8. Undertakes to examine these proposals in sufficient time to enable those adopted to enter into force at intervals from 1 January 1976 up to 31 December 1980.