European Parliament approves climate legislation

Author (Person)
Series Title
Series Details 18.12.08
Publication Date 18/12/2008
Content Type

After eleven months of legislative work, the European Parliament gave its backing to the EU's climate change package which aims to ensure that the EU will achieve its climate targets by 2020: a 20% reduction in greenhouse

Article reports that the European Parliament gave overwhelming approval on the 17 December 2008 to legislation to fight global warming but not before removing some of the lustre from a package of laws that had been celebrated as a European triumph by EU government leaders just a few days earlier Before offering their assent, several members of Parliament complained that alterations to the emissions trading system at the centre of the package were too generous to corporate interests, and that the legislation allowed member states to undertake most of their emissions reductions outside of Europe.

Related Links
ESO: Background information: The United Nations Climate Change Conference in Poznań, 1-12 December 2008 http://www.europeansources.info/record/the-united-nations-climate-change-conference-in-poznan-1-12-december-2008/
Website: COP 15 Copenhagen 2009 http://www.cop15.dk/en
EurActiv, 18.12.08: Mixed reactions as Parliament approves EU climate deal http://www.euractiv.com/climate-change/mixed-reactions-parliament-appro-news-221016
Greenpeace, 17.12.08: Parliament adoption of climate deal forfeits EU role as climate leader http://www.greenpeace.org/eu-unit/press-centre/press-releases2/Parliament-adoption-of-climate-deal
France24, 17.12.08: EU Parliament approves climate package http://www.france24.com/en/20081217-eu-parliament-approves-climate-package-2020-reducing-emissions
European Commission: Press Release, IP/08/1998: Climate change: Commission welcomes final adoption of Europe's climate and energy package http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/08/1998&format=PDF&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en
Deutsche Welle, 17.12.08: European Parliament Gives Go Ahead to EU Climate Deal http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,3882390,00.html
ESO: Background information: EU urges world to follow its lead on climate http://www.europeansources.info/record/eu-urges-world-to-follow-its-lead-on-climate/
EP: Press Release, 17.12.08: European Parliament seals climate change package http://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/expert/infopress_page/064-44858-350-12-51-911-20081216IPR44857-15-12-2008-2008-false/default_en.htm

Subject Categories
Countries / Regions