NATURE et ENVIRONNEMENT

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               De plus, l’exécutif bruxellois fixe au moins à 27 % la part des énergies renouvelables dans le bilan énergétique de l’Europe d’ici à 2030. «Les importations de gaz et de pétrole sont de 400 milliards d’euros par an, soit 3,1 % du PIB européen. Cela ne peut plus durer», précise-t-on à la Commission. Mais, contrairement au premier paquet climat-énergie, adopté en 2008, Bruxelles ne fixera pas d’objectifs en matière d’éolien, de solaire ou d’autres énergies renouvelables à chaque pays européen. La prévision est globale. Un moyen pour qu’un large consensus se dégage sur le Vieux Continent, y compris dans des pays comme la France, très dépendante du nucléaire. C’est également un moyen d’obtenir l’adhésion de certaines entreprises. Le Medef salue une approche moins contraignante de Bruxelles. Enfin, sur l’efficacité énergétique, aucun objectif n’est fixé pour l’instant pour la baisse de la consommation.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       En 2008, l’Europe avait adopté la règle des «trois fois 20» pour 2020: 20 % de baisse des émissions de gaz à effet de ­serre par rapport à 1990, 20 % d’énergies renouvelables dans le bilan énergétique global et une diminution de 20 % de la consommation d’énergie.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           Les deux premiers objectifs seraient atteints. Les émissions de gaz à effet de serre ont déjà diminué de 18 % en Europe. La part des énergies renouvelables flirte avec les 13 %. Mais l’objectif d’efficacité énergétique ne sera pas obtenu: «Il devrait dépasser d’au moins 3 % l’ambition de 1.483 millions de tonnes équivalent pétrole qui avait été fixée», indique-t-on à la Commission.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   Ces propositions visent également à dégager un front uni des chefs d’État, lors du prochain sommet européen, à Bruxelles, les 20 et 21 mars prochain. Surtout, des négociations internationales doivent se dérouler en septembre à New York, sous l’égide des Nations unies. Bruxelles espère qu’en parlant d’une seule voix, la Chine, les États-Unis et la Russie seront plus enclins à s’engager dans la lutte contre le réchauffement climatique, lors de la conférence de Paris, censée aboutir à un accord en décembre 2015.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   Mais la position de l’Europe inquiète Nicolas Hulot, émissaire spécial du président François Hollande pour la protection de la planète. Il estime que l’Union européenne devrait réduire ses émissions de gaz à effet de serre d’au moins 55 % en 2030. «Ce n’est pas 40 %, mais au moins 60 % de réduction des émissions qu’il faut faire d’ici à 2030», estime de son côté l’eurodéputé écologiste Yannick Jadot. D’autre part, «27 % d’énergie renouvelable dans le mix européen pour 2030, c’est une très mauvaise nouvelle. Pourtant, l’Europe est le leader industriel mondial de l’éolien. Est-ce raisonnable de risquer de mettre en danger cette filière?» s’interroge Frédéric Lanoë, président de France Énergie éolienne.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    Car même si de rares experts doutent encore du changement climatique, certains signes inquiètent. Dans le cadre des négociations climat qui se déroulent chaque année sous l’égide de l’ONU, les pays se sont d’ailleurs engagés à limiter le réchauffement au-dessous de 2 °C. Les experts du Groupe intergouvernemental sur l’énergie et le climat évaluent autour de 0,7 °C le réchauffement de la planète depuis le début de l’ère industrielle. Ces derniers multiplient les alertes: le dernier rapport évoque un risque de hausse entre 1,5 °C et 4,5 °C d’ici à 2100.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Avec une température moyenne de 14,52 °C, 2013 a été la quatrième année la plus chaude de la planète depuis 1880, a estimé mardi l’Administration améri­caine des océans et de l’atmosphère (NOAA). Une mesure très proche de celle annoncée le même jour par la Nasa avec 14,6 °C en 2013.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              (Source : Le Nouvel Observateur)