Campaigning pressure keeps EU parliament on track. Now for the Ministers.

Environment Ministers meet next week to discuss the EU climate change proposals and a small group, led by Italy and Poland, are trying to derail progress. Please email John Gormley today to demand he stands firm for a strong climate policy.

On Tuesday 7th October the European Parliament's Environment Committee voted on two important sets of proposals about the EU's response to climate change. They're not perfect, but they are a step in the right direction. Thousands of campaigners across Europe emailed their nationals MEPs on the committee urging them to vote for a strong climate policy.

Now we need to make sure ministers don't water down the plan.

Delivering for developing countries
Friends of the Earth welcomed the vote by MEPs to use 50% of revenues from the auctioning of emission permits to help developing countries tackle climate change. In another vote the committee voted for €10 billion assistance by 2020 for adaptation in developing countries, crucially, in addition to existing aid commitments.

Tackling the causes of climate change
Friends of the Earth would have liked MEPs to do more by committing the EU to at least 30% emissions reductions by 2020 (rather than 20%). However, the committee did well to resist further weakening of the target, and we welcome that the 30% target is automatically triggered when an international climate change deal is agreed.

Irish MEP Avril Doyle, who was Rapporteur responsible for one of the reports, was widely credited with seeing off an attempted 'mutiny' from within her own party. She successfully carried through all but one of the compromise amendments in her report. Significantly, a series of industry-backed amendments that would have significantly weakened the policy were averted.

Campaigner power...and more needed
The outcome of the committee vote attests to the power of people letting their MEPs know they care and are watching. Thank you to everyone you who took the time to contact your MEPs.

These positive actions however are just the first step. The European Council and the Parliament have got to agree on the final text.

Email John Gormley now. Pressure works...we need to keep it up.