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Policies and Measures Addressing Climate Change: Framework Policy, 2009
Policy Name
Description
Austria
KlimaAktiv:
Climate Strategy
2008-2012
In response to climate change challenges, Austria developed the "Strategie Österreichs zur Erreichung des Kyoto-Ziels –
Klimastrategie 2008/2012"; This is a comprehensive strategy which lays out a series of measures intended to curb the country’s GHG-emissions by 13% below 1990 levels up to 2008-2012, as stipulated in the EU burden-sharing. Responsibility for
the implementation of the Klimastrategie is shared amongst various federal and Länder government institutions.
Austrian policies and measures designed to achieve the GHG emissions reductions required by the Kyoto Protocol are
mainly related to energy efficiency and broken down into seven packages of measures (space heating/private consumption,
electricity and heat production, transport, industry, waste management, agriculture and forestry, and three fluor-compounds).
Elaborating on earlier climate change mitigation strategies, the KlimaAktiv program combines various market-constituent
measures and effectuates target-oriented implementation, by providing easier access to target groups and resources for
attaining the commonly set targets, by enhanced know how-transfer with support in vocational training and networking of
important actors, by the organisation and development of quality assurance and standards as well as by target group-specific
information and marketing.
KlimaAktiv programmes educate those investing in climate-relevant areas (i.e. promotors of residential housing projects,
companies, and home builders) by developing expertise of the providers of respective services (master builders, architects)
and by promoting experienced workers on their relevant markets.
The government provides about EUR 5 million per year to the KlimaAktiv programmes, and invites relevant branches of business to contribute.
Czech
Republic
Energy Management Act
The Energy Management Act (Act No. 406/2000), which entered into force in January 2001, and was amended in 2006, established standards for energy efficiency of heat and electricity production, transmission, distribution and use, energy planning requirements, energy auditing obligations, energy auditors certification, energy labelling programme, energy performance of buildings, and inspection of boilers and air conditioning units.
The act sets forth a) certain measures towards enhancing the economical use of energy and the obligations of natural and
legal persons managing and using energy, and b) the rules applicable to the formulation of the National Energy Policy, the
Territorial Energy Policies and the National Programme for Economical Energy Management and Use of Renewable and
Secondary Energy Sources.
State Programme to
Support Energy Savings
and Use of Renewable
Energy and Secondary
Sources
This programme revolves around a strategic action document revised each year and implemented by a total of 15 sectors.
The programme targets enterprises (legal entities and individuals), non-profit organisations, universities, and towns, municipalities and regions.
Targets of the State Programme include the implementation of savings measures in the area of generation, transmission,
distribution and consumption of energy, and higher use of renewable and secondary sources of energy and the development
of cogeneration of heat, cooling and electricity.
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Policies and Measures Addressing Climate Change: Framework Policy, 2009
Policy Name
Description
Supported activities:
Support for energy planning and certification of buildings: territorial energy planning; action plans for reconstruction or refurbishment of building resources; plans for energy saving in industrial enterprises; plans for construction of centres for use of
municipal waste for energy purposes; certificates of energy intensity of buildings.
Energy generation and distribution facilities: increased efficiency of energy use in energy generation and distribution facilities; combined generation of heat and electricity; higher use of renewable and secondary sources of energy.
Support for Measures aimed at increasing the efficiency of energy use: decreased energy intensity of industrial plant; comprehensive measures aimed at decreasing the energy intensity of buildings used in education, health services and public
utilities; comprehensive measures aimed at decreasing the energy intensity of housing; low energy and passive solar housing; comprehensive measures aimed at decreasing the energy intensity in lighting; projects financed through energy savings.
Consultancy, education, promotion and awareness with respect to the economical use of energy, having impact on the safeguarding of the environment: consultancy; regional energy agencies; education and promotion; preparation of products in
support of consultancy, education and promotion.
Czech
Republic
(cont.)
Ireland
Green Paper on
Sustainable Energy
Published by the Department of Public Enterprise, the Green Paper on Sustainable Energy proposed the introduction of a
carbon or energy tax scheme along with a tradable permit system to encourage industrial emissions reduction. Among other
propositions, the paper sets forth a system to use revenue generated from a carbon tax or permit scheme to fund grants for
energy audits and investments in energy equipment.
Implementation of the Green Paper included launch of a EUR 21.1 mill. R&D programme for energy efficiency and a
EUR 12.7 mill. Public Sector Design Programme.
Slovak
Republic
Ecodesign Act
The Act No 665/2007 Coll. of 11 December 2007 on Environmental Design and Use of Products Utilising Energy (Ecodesign
Act), Directive 2005/32/EC, sets framework rules for ecodesign of products, the obligations of producer before the introduction of the product into the market or into operation, defines the contents of the Declaration of Conformity and specifies the
information to be provided for final consumer. Enforcement of the Act is implemented by the Slovak Trade Inspection.
Switzerland
Energy Law
The Federal Energy Law was adopted by the Parliament in July 1998 and entered into force on 1 January 1999.
The Energy Law envisages measures to reduce energy consumption in the following areas:
• Regulations about stating the energy consumption of installations, vehicles and equipment, and about reducing their consumption;
• Cantonal legislation in the building sector (heat insulation, individual metering and billing of heating and hot water);
• Financial incentives for the efficient use of energy, renewable sources of energy and waste heat and promotion measures
(information, advice, education, training, research, pilot installations, demonstration installations);
• Guidelines and regulations to ensure the economic and environmentally friendly supply of energy (responsibility of the energy industry for the supply of energy, the use of waste heat in power stations which run on fossil fuels, regulations for independent power producers).
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Policies and Measures Addressing Climate Change: Framework Policy, 2009
Policy Name
The Energy Law obliges consumption-based heating cost allocation for new buildings. Cantons are required to draw up corresponding provisions, and are at liberty to extend the obligation to existing buildings. As of 2004, some cantons had already
done this, others were in the process of doing so.
Consumption-based heating and hot water cost allocation can achieve savings in heating energy of around 14% on average,
even in times of low energy prices. In late 2004, around 450,000 dwellings in Switzerland (out of a total of 1.2 mill. that could
be converted) used consumption-based heating cost allocation.
Switzerland
(cont.)
Turkey
Australia
Description
Ratification of the Kyoto
Protocol
Turkey's Parliament ratified the Kyoto Protocol on 5 February 2009, joining the negotiations on the design of a new agreement the course of 2009 for the post-2012 period, when the emissions reduction commitments under the Protocol expire.
Turkey is not included in the agreement's Annex B, meaning it does not have mandatory greenhouse gas emissions reductions targets for the 2008-12 period.
Following ratification the government is developing a climate change action plan and possible future emissions reduction
targets.
Energy Efficiency Law –
No. 5627
The Energy Efficiency Law (EE Law) aims to increase the efficient use of energy and energy resources for reducing the burden of energy costs on the economy and protecting the environment. This law comprises the organisation, principals, and
procedures for increasing energy efficiency in industry, electrical power plants, transmission and distribution systems, building, service and transport sectors. It sets the rules for energy management in industry and in big buildings, project supports,
energy efficiency consultancy companies, voluntary agreements and so on.
Securing Australia's
Energy Future
The Australian Government's Energy White Paper - Securing Australia's Energy Future - establishes a long term policy
framework for Australian energy. Securing Australia's Energy Future includes a range of new initiatives, including:
• driving investment of at least AUD 1.5 bill. to demonstrate break through technologies with long term greenhouse gas reduction potential through the establishment of a AUD 500 million fund to leverage private sector investment of at least AUD
1 bill. in the demonstration of low emission technologies;
• the provision of AUD 134 mill. to support commercialisation of renewable technologies;
• a commitment of AUD 75 mill. for Solar Cities trials to demonstrate a new energy scenario;
• an overhaul of the fuel excise system, reducing excise costs on businesses and households by AUD 1.5 bill. in the period
to 2012-13;
• a requirement that Australia's largest energy users undertake regular energy efficiency assessments, with firms using more
than 0.5 peta-joules of energy a year undertaking mandatory energy assessments every 5 years and reporting publicly on
the outcomes; and
• a requirement that large energy projects and recipients of more than AUD 3 mill. in excise credits to manage their emissions through membership of the Greenhouse Challenge Programme.
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Policies and Measures Addressing Climate Change: Framework Policy, 2009
Policy Name
Description
Australia
(cont.)
Solar Cities
The Australian Government's 2004 Energy White Paper, Securing Australia's Energy Future, committed AUD 75.3 million to
fund a series of trials to gauge the benefits of concerted use of solar and energy efficient technologies combined with interval
metering. The Solar Cities trials sought to address barriers to solar generation and demand side participation in gridconnected urban areas, including the appropriately pricing and valuation of these technologies and demand side measures
in the evolving energy markets to support their commercial uptake.
Canada
Kyoto Protocol
Implementation Act
This Act, which received royal assent on 22 June 2007, provides that the Minister (of the Environment) will prepare a Climate
Change Plan by 31 May each year until 2013 that describes the measures to be taken to ensure that Canada meets its
emissions reduction target under the Kyoto Protocol. It also provides for the making of regulations to provide for measures to
help Canada meet its Kyoto target and for statements as to the anticipated emissions reductions from any measures.
The first Climate Change Plan was released under this act soon after the act entered into force.
New Zealand
Carbon Neutral Public
Service
In February 2007, the New Zealand government announced plans to lead by example in moving the public service towards
carbon neutrality. Further details were provided throughout 2007, including in the National Energy Efficiency and Conservation Strategy, released in October 2007.
Under the Carbon Neutral Public Service programme, six lead core public service agencies are bound to be carbon neutral
by mid-2012. The remaining 28 public service departments are to be on the path to carbon neutrality by mid-2012.
United States
Energy Independence and
Security Act of 2007
The Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 was signed into law in December 2007. The legislation seeks to respond
to the challenge of George W. Bush's "Twenty in Ten" initiative, announced in January 2007. The legislation seeks to expand
the production of renewable fuels, reduce the US's dependence on oil, increase energy security and address climate change.
Key provisions include:
• Increasing the supply of alternative fuel sources by setting a mandatory Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS);
• Reducing US demand for oil by setting a national fuel economy standard of 35 miles per gallon by 2020;
• Provisions to improve energy efficiency in lighting, appliances, buildings and transport;
• Provisions for the funding of research into carbon capture and storage;
• Provisions for the funding of research into hydrogen technologies.
Mandatory Reporting of
Greenhouse Gas
Emissions
Mandatory Reporting of Greenhouse Gas Emissions is an EPA led programme requiring reporting of GHG emissions above
appropriate thresholds in all sectors of the economy. EPA will determine the appropriate emissions thresholds and the frequency of report submissions. Reports will also include emissions resulting from upstream production and downstream
sources.
The EPA must publish a draft rule setting forth its programme to report GHG emissions by September 2008 and a final rule
by June 2009.
GHG: greenhouse gas;
EPA: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Source: IAE, Climate Change Database (http://www.iea.org/textbase/pm/Default.aspx?mode=cc), accessed 19 October 2009.
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