Green MEP condemns failings of EU emissions scheme
06 March 2007
GREEN MEP Caroline Lucas has called for a radical overhaul of the EU'sclimate change policy after MPs described its Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS)as inefficient, ineffective and unambitious.
Caroline Lucas, Euro-MP for South-East England and a member of the EuropeanParliament's Environment Committee, said a properly designed emissionstrading scheme could have an important role to play in reducing Europe's CO2emissions, but it should be flanked by a range of other measures includingmandatory national emissions targets.
Speaking as the House of Commons Environmental Audit Committee (EAC)reported that the ETS had failed to reduce emissions at all, Dr Lucas said:
"The UK Government views the EU ETS as the cornerstone of its climate changepolicy, according to today's report, but it has failed to deliver anyreduction in greenhouse gas emissions.
"Tackling climate change is urgent, and we haven't got time waste merelytinkering with a scheme which is complex, opaque, unambitious - and doesn'twork anyway."
Dr Lucas made her comments at the EAC published its long-awaited report intothe EU ETS. The report reveals that the scheme has failed to reduce emissionat all, and that the UK looks set to fail to meet its target of reducing CO2emissions by 20% by 2010.
It says that while the scheme has been an administrative success, it ishaving little effect on carbon emissions as its 'allowances' are toogenerous, meaning the price of emitting CO2 has remained too low to drivethe required transformation in business strategies.
Dr Lucas added: "If we are to stave off what Tony Blair has himself admittedis 'probably the greatest threat facing the human race' we must cut ouremissions by 80-90 per cent in the next few decades.
"That means we must start right now by implementing legally bindingemissions reduction targets on all EU nations - and using emissions tradingas a tool for achieving that rather than making it a goal in its itself."
ENDS
Note to Editors:
The House of Commons Environmental Audit Committee's report can be viewed infull at:www.publications.parliament.ukhtm
