Leading UK charity says Brussels deal is a "woefully inadequate"

Christian Aid today says EU leaders have bodged and that the resulting deal will lead to a devastating 3^o+ rise in global temperatures.

European leaders have failed the world by not adopting a powerful EU plan to tackle climate change, says the development agency Christian Aid.

The package of measures they are finalising in Brussels is woefully inadequate and explodes their claim to be international leaders on global warming.

Christian Aid also warns that it seriously damages their credibility with the new US administration of Barack Obama. Alison Doig, Christian Aid's Senior Adviser on climate change, says: "This sends a dangerous message to the international climate talks in Poznan.

"We had hoped that the EU would set a leading example to other rich countries - one which would inspire them to agree similarly ambitious targets. "We are deeply disappointed by the agreement which looks set to emerge from Brussels. By failing to adopt a more realistic plan to help keep global temperatures within safe levels, EU leaders have seriously damaged the quest for an effective and equitable solution to the climate crisis.

"Calculations by our partners EcoEquity show that if all industrialized countries cut their emissions by only 20 per cent, in line with the emerging EU agreement, this could lead the world towards a devastating global temperature rise of more than 3oC. "This would be catastrophic for people around the world and especially for those in developing countries, who are the most vulnerable of all.

"Christian Aid urges the European Parliament to show much greater support for strong European emissions cuts when it votes next week on the 'effort sharing' part of the EU package, and to reject today's deal."

As well as the hopelessly inadequate targets that EU leaders have set for cutting their emissions, Christian Aid is concerned that even those cuts will be achieved in large part by 'buying in' cuts from developing countries. Instead, it is essential that such imported cuts are in addition to any domestic cuts. Ms Doig says: "Another major concern is the EU plan to give almost full exemptions from buying emissions permits under the European Emissions Trading Scheme to the very industries which pollute the most. "This perverse decision, if allowed to stand, will dramatically reduce the scheme's power to help safeguard the world's climate."

For more information: http://www.christianaid.org.uk