Brussels, 27/11/2006 (Agence Europe) - The recent suggestion by Günter Verheugen that the EU should adopt a “realistic” approach on CO2 emission reduction targets so that the competitiveness of part of European industry is not jeopardised (EUROPE 9314) cut the president of the Greens Group at the European Parliament to the quick. Daniel Cohn-Bendit of Germany denounced on Friday this “bizarre outburst” from the Industry Commissioner who “demonstrates his divorcement from the environmental and economic reality in Europe and beyond”.
Mr Daniel Cohn-Bendit said that, “The Stern report made clear what many of us have been saying for a long time: the cost of our failure to address climate change will be far greater than that of doing so. However, it is also clear that, by taking the lead in tackling what is a global crisis, the EU will become a leading force in terms of innovation and European Competitiveness. There are massive opportunities for EU businesses to pioneer a new generation of environmentally-friendly technologies, across all sectors of the economy”.
The president of the Greens concluded that, “No Commissioner should become the representative of a particular interest group and Commissioner Verheugen must finally recognise that his is not the role of an industry lobbyist” and stated he wanted to debate Mr Verheugen's letter and its implications in a plenary session this week in Brussels.