Europees Parlement stelt speciale "klimaatcommissie" in (en)

The European Parliament intends to play "a key-role in raising awareness" on climate change and in putting this issue "high on the international agenda". This is the underlying aim of a decision taken on 19 April by the EP's Conference of Presidents, which is proposing that Parliament set up a temporary committee on climate change. The proposal will be submitted for approval to Parliament's plenary session in Strasbourg on 25 April.

The Conference of Presidents has approved the mandate of this new body and has decided it will have 60 members. The names of the committee members are to be decided by a vote in plenary at a later stage.

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  The draft mandate being submitted to the plenary by the Conference of Presidents describes the remit of the temporary committee as follows:
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  to make proposals on the European Union's future integrated climate change policy and to coordinate the European Parliament's position in relation to the negotiations for the post-2012 international climate policy framework;
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  to analyse and to assess latest evidence on climate change and propose appropriate policy responses at all levels, together with an assessment of both their financial impact and the cost of inaction;
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  to compile as complete as possible an inventory of new and potential developments in the field of fighting against climate change, so as to provide Parliament with a detailed analysis of such developments necessary to enable it to assume its political responsibilities;
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  to examine the environmental, legal, economic, social, public health, geopolitical and regional implications of such new and potential developments;
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  to analyse and assess the implementation of Community law in this regard to date;
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  to this effect, to take appropriate contacts and hold hearings with Member States and third countries' parliaments and governments, European institutions and international organisations, as well as with representatives from the scientific community and business and civil society including networks of local and regional authorities.

The powers of Parliament's standing committees responsible for the adoption, monitoring and implementation of Community law on these issues will remain unchanged but the temporary committee "may draw up recommendations for further actions or initiatives to be taken".

As with any temporary committee (see Rule 175 of the EP's Rules of Procedure), the term of office of the temporary committee will be twelve months, at the end of which it will submit a report to Parliament, including, if necessary, recommendations for further actions or initiatives to be taken.