Archived press release

EU forced to consider UK bid to increase climate pollution

23 November 2005

The UK Government has won a legal bid [1] to force the EU to consider an increase in the amount of climate-changing pollution that UK companies can emit under the EU Emissions Trading Scheme [2]. The UK Government wants to pump out an extra 20 million tonnes of carbon dioxide under the ETS between 2005 and 2008.

Friends of the Earth has criticised the UK Government for bringing the legal challenge saying that the UK is already falling well short of its targets for cutting carbon dioxide [3].

The European Court of First Instance ruled today that the Commission was wrong to refuse to allow the UK to submit a revised plan increasing the amount of carbon dioxide it wants to emit under the EU ETS.

Friends of the Earth director, Tony Juniper said:

"If the UK is allowed to increase the amount of carbon dioxide it can emit under the European Emissions Trading Scheme, it will make it even harder for the UK Government to meet its targets for tackling climate change. The UK's global warming strategy is already in tatters, and emissions are rising instead of falling. Ministers should be finding ways to cut carbon dioxide levels rather than mounting legal challenges to increase them."

"Tony Blair talks about making tough decisions on climate change. But so far he has shied away from anything that may upset powerful industry lobbies. This is why the Government mounted this legal challenge. A new climate change law forcing the Government to make annual cuts in carbon dioxide is needed."

1. The UK Government approved and submitted its original plan for the amount of carbon dioxide it should be allowed to emit under the ETS in May 2004. But following intense lobbying from industry it submitted a new plan in November 2004, which would have increased its pollution permits by 20 million tonnes. The revised (weaker) proposal was rejected by the EU, prompting the UK's legal challenge.
2. Under the EU ETS a budget is set for the amount of carbon that companies are allowed to emit. The emissions trading scheme allows European companies that emit less carbon dioxide than allowed to sell unused allotments to those who overshoot the target.
3. The UK has promised to make tackling climate change a major international priority for its current presidency of the EU and chairing of the G8. However, the UK is currently way off track from meeting its promise to cut carbon dioxide emissions by 20 per cent by 2010 (based on 1990 levels) [1], and may even miss its target under the Kyoto Protocol. UK carbon dioxide emissions are less than four per cent lower than 1990 levels.

For more details of the Climate Change Bill see: www.thebigask.com

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Published by Friends of the Earth Trust