howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
#1
courtesy of the independent.
Britain's Conservative MEPs are poised to deliver an embarrassing rejection of the Government's global warming stance today in a European Parliament vote on toughening climate targets.
Many if not most of the 26 Brussels Tories are likely to vote against the proposal that the European Union should tighten its climate policy from a proposed 20 per cent cut in CO2 emissions by 2020, to a 30 per cent cut.
The shift from 20 to 30 per cent is the centrepiece of the Government's current climate agenda - it is in the Coalition document, and the British ministers have been campaigning for it with other EU countries - and a rejection of it by the Tory MEPs will be seen as a personal snub to David Cameron. Furthernore, it is quite possible that their votes could make the difference between the proposal being won or lost.
If it is lost it will be another blow to Europe's attempts to boost its position ahead of the next global climate conference which takes place in Durban, South Africa, in December. Two weeks ago Poland single-handedly blocked the EU's first attempt at agreeing on the shift from 20 to 30 per cent, saying such a move would be too damaging to Polish industry.
This week Poland took over the six-month rotating presidency of Europe, which gives it substantial power to decide the EU business agenda for the rest of the year - meaning that the climate change issue is likely to be considerably downplayed.
The essence of the Polish problem is that the country is Europe's biggest user of coal, the heaviest producer of the carbon dioxide emissions which scientists believe are causing the earth's climate to warm. So from Poland's point of view, with the country using coal to generate more than 90 per cent of its electricity, the effect of any Europe-wide major cutback on CO2 will fall on Polish domestic industry disproportionately.
Brian Dixon
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
#2
no change there then,and a possable u-turn toboot.
Guest 696- Registered: 31 Mar 2010
- Posts: 8,115
#3
Then we'll have to choose between one or the other. I say, as a rule of thumb, leave the Polish coal-mines in production, as they no-doubt guarantee more work in Poland, and a little less unemployment in Britain.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
#4
the whole issue proves my point about the futility of the european union.
poland is the only country going against the plans purely out of self interest.
whoever gets the presidency for the following two months will ensure that their country gains.
