EU Postpones Climate Change Target Vote

Polar bears are going to have to wait until July to be saved

The EU has effectively done a Gordon Brown and “bottled it”, they have decided to postpone the vote on economic suicide cutting carbon emissions until July.

The actual vote for the postponement was conveniently not recorded so no one has any idea who actually voted for the motion.

MEPs have postponed a vote on whether or not Europe should toughen its climate targets and move to a 30 per cent emissions reduction target by 2020.

At their mini plenary in Brussels they decided to postpone the vote until July, saying their agenda was too long.

After votes in the parliament on Thursday had run on for almost two hours, EPP MEPs called for the voting session to be suspended, with the crucial vote on carbon emissions – as well as another non-legislative report on cohesion policy – postponed.

The vote for postponement was not recorded so it is impossible to identify which MEPs supported the delay.

But there was, broadly, a left-right split, with EPP members supporting a postponement and Socialists voting against.

The eagerly-awaited vote had been seen by many as a test of Europe’s commitment to cutting greenhouse gas emissions.

The commission has set a target of cutting CO2 emissions by 20 per cent compared to 1990 levels by the end of this decade but many MEPs have been pressing for this to be increased to 30 per cent.

Some MEPs had warned that failure to vote for a 30 per cent emissions reduction would undermine the EU’s reputation as a leading voice in the fight against global warming.

Supporters of the move to raise ambitions from the current 20 per cent reduction target argue that it will guide investment decisions crucial to the development of low carbon energy production and the growth of the green economy.

Reaction to the decision to postpone the vote was swift.

Environment committee chair Jo Leinen expressed “disappointment” with the delay, saying, “This opens the door for additional lobbying from climate sceptics and interest groups.

“There had already been a lot of lobbying against a 30 per cent reduction and this postponement is not very helpful.”

The S&D member said, “We now have to make an additional effort to carry the vote. The climate protection community must stick together and work for a good result in July.”

Catherine Pearce, of the European Environmental Bureau (EEB), the environmental pressure group, said, “We’re really disappointed that the vote has been delayed and hope it doesn’t mean MEPs are taking this issue lightly or will try and push a decision through quietly.

Obviously the Green lobby think more time will help them spin more grey propaganda, but this is hardly a victory for the warming alarmists from the Church of Climatology, and the next vote should it take place will be in Poland on July 11th 2011.