From the Office of Chris Davies MEP

I wrote to an MEP concerning the Climate Change Package being voted on in the European Parliament last week. I recieved a response today. It went;

"Thank you very much for your e-mail regarding last weeks vote in the environment committee of the European Parliament on the EU energy and climate change policy.



As you will be aware, on Tuesday 7 October the environment committee of the European Parliament voted on a series of measures which aim to form part of the EU’s climate and energy policy.



I’m pleased to say that MEPs backed the revision of the EU's Emission Trading System (ETS) which seeks to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from most industrial sectors by 21% from 2005 levels by 2020.



The vote also supported the phase out of free emission permits, leading to full auctioning, from 2013 onwards. This will mean that the free allocation of allowances to the manufacturing sector will be cut from 85% in 2013 to 0% in 2020.



The only exceptions to this will be sectors that are at serious risk of “carbon leakage,” where industries that would simply relocate to countries with weak climate change policies and continue to pollute. Such sectors will receive free allowances but only until 2020, by which time international agreements should ensure that there is no hiding place for industries that would continue to pollute.



MEPs also voted in support the revenues being raised from the auctioning of permits to be used to pay for climate change protection measures. I have pushed for one of these measures to be carbon capture and storage technology (CCS) and I’m pleased to say that my proposals that a €10 billion EU fund to support the development of CCS to slow global warming gained the support of MEPs.



CCS development has the potential to make an enormous contribution to the fight against climate change. We can afford no delay and no more construction of conventional coal-fired power stations. I’m pleased therefore that MEPs supported my proposals that the building of new coal-fired power stations after 2015 that do not have CCS technology be banned.



It is time now for EU national government Ministers to back their fine words of last year with some practical action. MEPs will now commence direct negotiations with the EU’s French Presidency with a view to securing a deal between the Parliament and the Council of Ministers that would see this legislation on the statute book before the end of the year.



Yours sincerely



Chris Davies MEP

Liberal Democrat Environment Spokesperson

& MEP for the North West of England"