EU set to renege on climate pledges

Canberra Times
Saturday 11/10/2008 Page: 15

EU heads of state plan to use the global financial crisis as an excuse to renege on climate change commitments, sources close to energy talks in Brussels say. Papers suggest the European Union council, which meets next week, wants to drop the previous pledge of an automatic increase in emissions cuts if the world decides on a big climate change deal next year.

The council also intends to allow countries to avoid having to cut their own emissions by letting them purchase a large proportion of reductions from overseas. The EU has a target of a 20 per cent emissions cut by 2020. This would rise to 30 per cent if a global deal is signed.

But the papers show the European Union is seeking a new legislative process if the EU target rises above 20 per cent. This effectively shelves the move to 30 per cent and would take many years to complete. The commission justifies its proposals by saying EU countries paying for emissions cats would transfer tip to 42 billion euro ($A86.2 billion) to developing and other countries from 2008-2020.

It also wants a change in the auctioning of pollution allowances for power firms, which could lead to windfall profits estimated at tip to $A30.8 billion. 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.

The head of international climate at Friends of the Earth, Tom Picker, said, "By simply buying cheap projects in developing countries, the EU will avoid making the type of transformations needed in our domestic economy to avoid dangerous climate change." Britain and Italy, among other nations, have been accused of trying to dilute pledges for renewable energy.