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EU countries may use economic crisis to ditch climate change commitments
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by Amy Judd | October 11, 2008 at 06:05 pm
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The global financial crisis could be seen as a way for the EU countries to excuse themselves from their climate change commitments, according to sources seen by The Guardian newspaper in the UK.
The EU Council meets next week and could propose dropping their previous commitments to an increase in emissions cuts and could even intend to let the countries to avoid having to cut their own emissions by allowing them to purchase reductions from overseas.
If a global deal is signed, the emissions reduction target will increase to 30% from 20%. But the papers seen by The Guardian suggest that the EU will look for a new legislative process if the target goes over 20% and then the move to 30% will take many more years to achieve.
This is a departure from Gordon Brown wanting to raise CO2 targets to 80% by 2050.
The commission justifies its proposals by saying that EU countries paying for emissions cuts would transfer up to €42bn (£33bn) to developing and other countries from 2008-2020.
It also wants a change in the auctioning of pollution allowances for power companies, which could lead to windfall profits estimated at up to €15bn.
Last night environmental groups said the moves could allow countries such as Britain to build a new generation of coal power stations without fear of exceeding their legally binding emission targets.
"By simply buying cheap projects in developing countries, the EU will avoid making the type of transformations needed in our domestic economy needed to avoid dangerous climate change," said Tom Picken, head of international climate at Friends of the Earth.
"We are on the verge of losing an ambitious climate package. It sends the wrong signal to developing countries — it appears that developed countries are not willing to adopt domestic emission reduction targets," said a WWF spokeswoman.
The moves come as energy ministers prepare to meet in Luxembourg on Friday in advance of the heads of state meeting next week, where the climate change and energy package of measures will be addressed. New British climate change and energy secretary, Ed Miliband, will attend.
Many EU countries have already shown signs of wanting to back out from their agreements, but they are urged not to abandon their targets because of the global financial crisis.
Miliband insisted the UK was negotiating the best deal possible. He added: "Now is not the time to row back on our ambitions in tackling climate change. Cutting the costs of energy is good for people as it keeps down their fuel bills and it's good for the planet as it reduces dangerous climate change.
"The current economic difficulties make these issues more important, not less. EU ministers have rightly signed up to achieve 20% of energy coming from renewable energy sources by 2020 and it is important we show that we are committed to that target."
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Most RecentMost Recommended Comments (1)
at 16:04 on November 10th, 2008
a marvelous example of ' jeusitical' manipulation of the rules.
Traditional 'imperialists' are continuing to send the "wrong message" to developing countries–the very same message they have been sending for generations, but they do so now at their own peril.