MEPs vote for historic deal on climate change

11.50.00am GMT Wed 17th Dec 2008

The European Parliament has today endorsed the energy/climate change package. Although Liberal Democrat negotiators ideally would liketo have seen a more ambitious package, they have voted in favour. The compromise is an important step in the European fight against climate

change.

Andrew Duff MEP (Leader of the Lib Dem MEPs and representative for the East of England) said: "Today Parliament has proved itself the pathfinder on combatting climate change and on securing for Europe future secure supplies of clean energy.

Liberal Democrat group spokesperson on the environment and rapporteur on Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) Chris Davies MEP (Lib Dem, UK) claimed as a victory the European Council's decision to back his proposals for the use of 'surplus' emissions trading allowances to

support carbon capture and storage demonstration projects:

"CCS has vast potential to reduce CO2 emissions from power plants and industrial installations. It is vital that we develop the technology and this decision will enable an early start to be made on construction of major demonstration plants across Europe."

Liberal and Democrat shadow rapporteur on the renewables package Fiona Hall MEP (Lib Dem, UK) said:

"The renewables part of the climate package will bring radical change to how EU energy is sourced. The renewables industry is offered legal certainty and the sweeping away of current barriers such as lack of connection to the grid.. If Parliament had had its way, certain requirements would have been more stringent. But this text deserves our full support, because it represents a giant European step forward in the fight against climate change and energy dependency. The EU will lead the world on renewable energy."

ENDS