Energy Charter Treaty: EU countries draw the emergency brake for climate protection!

Energy Charter Treaty: EU countries draw the emergency brake for climate protection!

At today's conference of the member states of the Energy Charter Treaty (ECT), the revised contract was dismantled. However, despite this revision, the original goal - the adaptation to the climate goals of the Paris Agreement and the European Green Deal - remained largely unfulfilled. This already triggered the termination of the contract by the EU and eleven member states and Great Britain. "The Energy Charter Treaty continues to endanger the urgently needed energy transition," criticized Theresa Kofler from Attac Austria and demanded that Austria should follow this step after the numerous critics of the agreement had pointed out to the threat to the threat of billions of billions of fossil corporations, "reported the Econews.

At the same time, the Time Together that the emission of the European Union was unanimously decided from this controversial agreement in Brussels. The ECT, which came into force in 1998, was supposed to protect investments in fossil energy sources, but he also allows lawsuits against states against arbitration courts. Anna Cavazzini from the Greens said that the exit from this contract was a “milestone for European climate protection”, which can now be continued without the constant threat of large corporations.

Slow implementation of the exit

However, a period of 20 years is required for the actual exit. Even if the first step towards termination has taken place, the process remains lengthy. Numerous states, including Germany, France, Spain and the Netherlands, have already announced their withdrawals. Italy left the contract in 2016. However, the revised ECT continues to ensure concerns by strengthening fossil energy companies, which stands in the way of effective climate protection.

The impending lawsuits can now be maintained for many years, even after a state has left the contract. Kofler warned: "The revised ect is even more dangerous because it enlarges the risk of complaints." A critical look at the new regulations shows that they cover fossil fuels until the 2030s, which endangers the efforts to endanger a sustainable energy transition.