News

October 19, 2008

At Last A Debate Starts On The Practicality Of Measures To Counter Climate Change

By Sally White

As fears of world recession mounted, European Union leaders were doing their best last week to reduce ambitious plans to boost alternative energy use and cut carbon emissions by a fifth by 2020. Ministers were working hard to make concessions to industry and emerging Europe. While the EU confirmed at meetings in Brussels that it would stick to its December deadline for the deal, a wide range of interests lobbied furiously to protect their economies against the tough measures. The most vociferous were Austria’s Chancellor, and the Prime Ministers of Poland and Italy. The latter two threatened vetoes.

In the UK, plans for a more cautious approach to biofuels, were outlined by the UK Transport Minister Andrew Adonis as part of the Government's response to concerns about the indirect environmental and social impacts of producing them. The government has published a consultation taking forward key findings from the Gallagher Review, including the proposal that the rate of increase of the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO) be slowed to reach 5 per cent in 2013-14 rather than in...