Specific measures to tackle climate change, such as emissions trading, will only be successful if they are coherently integrated with other government policies addressing economic and social issues, says a report published today by the Partnership for European Environmental Research (PEER). PEER membership is formed from seven of the biggest European environmental research institutes.

Specific measures to tackle climate change, such as emissions trading, will only be successful if they are coherently integrated with other government policies addressing economic and social issues, says a report published today by the Partnership for European Environmental Research (PEER). PEER membership is formed from seven of the biggest European environmental research institutes.

The report explains that, in order to create an effective, Europe wide climate policy, climate change issues must be better integrated into both general and sector-specific policies such as taxation, transportation, and land use planning. Significant changes in production processes as well as consumption patterns will also be required.

Lead author, Dr. Per Mickwitz, from the Finnish Environment Institute (SYKE), said, “Although the inclusion of climate change mitigation and adaptation in general governmental programmes and strategies has substantially increased in recent years, much more is needed in terms of integrating climate issues into specific policy measures. Annual budgets, environmental impact assessments and spatial planning procedures are three examples of existing measures which we believe have significant potential to be climate policy instruments.”

Assessment

The new report assesses the degree of climate policy integration in six different European countries, at national and local levels, as well as within key policy sectors such as energy and transport. It analyses measures and means to enhance climate policy integration and improve policy coherence.

The report shows that when climate policy is integrated into an increasing number of policy sectors such as energy, transport and land use, many latent conflicts are reopened. These include conflicts over nuclear power, taxation, hydro power, mobility and other issues involving values and ideology. If such conflicts are not recognised early they provide a barrier to effective climate policy integration.

Professor Pat Nuttall, Director, Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, UK, said, “As PEER chair, I know how important it is to work together within Europe to ensure that future decisions will be based on the best information available, minimizing risks and, in some cases, turning threats into opportunities. There is a huge need for increased policy and programme evaluation from a climate change perspective, and this report is a first step towards achieving this goal.”

Over recent decades, climate change research has focused primarily on the climate system impacts in general terms, and on mitigation. In the future, new challenges will be posed by the emergence of climate change adaptation policies across Europe. Climate policy integration and coherence will be essential in order to bring together the environmental, economic and social impacts of both adaptation and mitigation policies.

Facts about PEER 
Created in 2001, PEER is a partnership of seven large European environmental research centres. PEER members cover the full spectrum of the environmental sciences and combine basic with applied research anticipating societal needs. PEER members carry out their research in strategic and interdisciplinary multi-annual programmes, working with partners worldwide to solve complex environmental challenges. The vision of PEER is to be a world leader in integrating knowledge and expertise for sustainable development, in support of policymakers, industry and society.

PEER member institutes
Alterra, Wageningen Universityand Research Centre, The Netherlands 
Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, United Kingdom
Cemagref - Centre for Agricultural and Environmental Engineering Research, France
JRC - Joint Research Centre, Institute for Environment and Sustainability, European Commission
NERI - National Environmental Research Institute, Aarhus University, Denmark 
Finnish Environment Institute, Finland 
Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research – UFZ, Germany

Contact: Researcher Anne Jensen, +45 4630 1823, ajen@dmu.dk 
         Researcher Anders Branth Pedersen, +45 4630 1225, apd@dmu.dk
      Dr. Per Mickwitz, Finnish Environment Institute SYKE +358 400 148847, per.mickwitz@ymparisto.fi

Climate Policy Integration, Coherence and Governance. PEER-Report No 2. Helsinki: Partnership for European Environmental Research. Mickwitz, P., Aix, F., Beck, S., Carss, D., Ferrand N., Görg, C., Jensen, A., Kivimaa, P., Kuhlicke C., Kuindersma, W., Máñez, M., Melanen, M., Monni, S., Pedersen, A. B., Reinert, H. & van Bommel, S. 2009. 92pp.

Full report

PEER website

A second report from PEER, comparing National Adaptation Strategies to climate change across Europe, will be published in June 2009.