11th January 2007 - Linda meeting with German Chancellor to discuss climate change and energy

Yorkshire and the Humber MEP Linda McAvan is in Berlin today and tomorrow to meet the German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, for discussions about the German Presidency of the European Union. Top of the agenda will be measures to address climate change, following the announcement of the new EU energy policy yesterday.

Ms McAvan, Vice President of the European Parliament's two-hundred and two strong Socialist Group of MEPs, is part of the delegation that will be pushing Chancellor Merkel to grasp the nettle on climate change and take tough action to bring down carbon emissions. Yesterday, the European Commission proposed an energy policy which included a 20% cut in carbon emissions from 1990 levels by 2020. MEPs have said that a 30% cut is required.

The Yorkshire MEP will also be pushing for emissions from air travel to be included in the European Emissions Trading Scheme.

The German Presidency of the EU started on January 1st and will run until the end of June.

Linda McAvan said;

"Climate change is the single biggest issue facing the planet today. European countries create something like 15% of the world's carbon emissions, at a time when there is more carbon in the atmosphere than at any time in the last 650,000 years. When I was in Kenya last year I saw for myself how some of the world's poorest people are already suffering the consequences of climate change. We need to act now, and that requires the German government to take a lead."