10th September 2008 - Labour Euro-MPs “answer the call” of climate change

Yorkshire and Humber’s Labour Members of the European Parliament have “answered the call” of climate change by joining forces with WWF, Greenpeace, Friends of the Earth and CAN-Europe in Brussels this week.

Linda McAvan MEP and Richard Corbett MEP have been supporting demands from the groups for EU action to limit carbon emissions in order to prevent global temperature rises of more than 2°C.

A symbolic telephone hotline was set up in central Brussels playing answerphone messages recorded by members of the public calling for European leadership on climate change. MEPs were able to come along to ‘answer the call’ and respond to the questions put to them.

Linda McAvan, who sits on the European Parliament’s Temporary Committee on Climate Change, said;

"No one country is going to be able to solve climate change all on its own. That is why it is so important that we share responsibility; everyone has a role to play and everyone needs to play their part. But by co-ordinating the policies of  different countries, we can help to make sure that we are all pulling in the same direction.”

Richard Corbett MEP added;

"European action has already established a system to ‘cap and trade’ carbon emissions from industry, but we need to do more. That is why MEPs are examining proposals for more efficient cars, domestic appliances, and sustainable biofuels.”

More information can be found on the campaign website: www.timetolead.eu.