22.06.11
MEPs to rebel on climate legislation
Conservative MEPs are preparing to revolt against key Coalition environmental policies.
They want to kill off a proposed toughening of Europe’s climate targets, by voting down the proposal to increase the emissions-cutting target from 20% reductions by 2020, to 30% (on 1990 levels).
The commitment to a 30% cut is in the Coalition Agreement, and has won support from other member states.
The leader of the UK Conservative delegation, Martin Callanan, said ahead of tomorrow’s vote: “Conservative MEPs have always been sceptical of the EU unilaterally increasing its target to 30% without a worldwide agreement.
“European companies will be unable to compete if the reduction targets are set too high.
“Many high energy consuming companies are already being forced to relocate to countries outside the EU, which have little or no environmental legislation, putting many Europeans out of work, and an increased target will exacerbate this trend.
“We are also concerned that the higher carbon costs from an increased target will feed through into energy price increases for domestic consumers, who are already facing steep rises.”
Many other Conservative MEPs have backed the remarks, and the vote is expected to be very tight, amid a growing backlash against environmental regulation across the EU at a time of economic hardship.
Business groups are also divided over the measures.
But Martyn Williams, a campaigner at Friends of the Earth, said: “Cameron should step in. He should tell his MEPs ‘we look stupid if you vote against this’.”
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