MEP Condemns Blair’s ‘Hot Air’ On Climate Change As EU Gears Up To Take UK To Court
13 November 2006 - Green Party Euro-MP Caroline Lucas has condemned Tony Blair’s ‘hot air’ on climate change after the EU announced plans to take the UK to court over its failure to implement a directive designed to cut greenhouse gas emissions.
The EU has warned that it will take the UK to the European Court of Justice over delays to its implementation of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive.
The directive, which was supposed to come into force three years ago, requires the Government to label public buildings on an A-G scale of energy efficiency, with the aim of cutting greenhouse gas emissions.
Dr Lucas said: "Embarrassingly for the government, the EU is on the verge of taking the UK to court over its failure to properly introduce this important directive - three years after its initial adoption.”
This latest development comes after Dr Lucas and fellow members of the 42-strong Green Group at Brussels commissioned a report from the Association for the Conservation of Energy into the UK ’s failure to constructively engage with EU on cutting the greenhouse gas emissions which are fuelling climate change.
The report, ‘So much hot air’, showed the UK was dragging its feet on implementing EU directives on the environment, exposing the gap between Tony Blair’s rhetoric and action on the issue.
Specifically, the report found the UK has:
• Delayed implementation of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive
• Demanded an increase in the UK ’s level of CO2 emissions permitted under the EU Emissions Trading Scheme
• Failed to set binding targets for energy demand reduction under the Energy services Directive
• Failed to promote small-scale combined heating and power plants in line with the Cogeneration directive
Dr Lucas added: “Tony Blair has repeatedly called for concerted EU action on climate change – yet this latest court case typifies his poor record on implementing the EU directives already in place.
“If the Government is serious about tackling climate change, and wants to match its rhetoric with action, it must fully implement the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive and engage wholeheartedly with the EU on cutting its rising CO2 emissions.”
ENDS
