EP to become first 100 pct carbon neutral EU institution in 2016

As of 2016, the European Parliament's (EP) irreducible carbon emissions can be fully offset, making it the first EU institution to become 100 percent carbon-neutral, the EP said in a press release Friday.

Commenting on the decision, EP Vice-President Ulrike Lunacek said: "With this step towards 100 percent carbon neutrality the EP will play its part in limiting the impacts of climate change."

"Some weeks ahead of COP21 in Paris, this is a great signal from inside the European Institutions showing that we are willing to live up to our goals. The EU will have to seriously raise its ambition if it is to play a positive role in making COP21 a success," she said.

The EP will further improve the implementation of its environmental practices throughout the Parliament in key areas, such as water, paper and electricity consumption, waste recycling and awareness-raising.

Offsetting applies only in cases where carbon emissions are unavoidable or cannot be further reduced. Such offsets are achieved by providing financial support for renewable energy or efficient energy projects, such as projects in the African, Caribbean and Pacific states, according to the EP.

The EP's 100 percent offsetting goal is funded up to 250,000 euros (267,500 U.S. dollars), covering emissions from official staff travel, official cars, energy use, technical installations, as well as MEPs' flights between their countries of origin and Brussels and Strasbourg.

An EP delegation of 15 MEPs will attend the Paris climate conference from Dec. 7 to 12. Endit