Failure after failure: European governments lose credibility on climate change
Brussels, 4 December 2008 – The NGO-Partnership of BirdLife International is alarmed by a series of recent EU decisions undermining Europe’s leadership and credibility on climate change.

While the world is desperate for ambitious proposals at the UN climate talks in Poznan, Poland, EU governments produce one disappointment after the other: After the recent watering down of car efficiency rules, last night Italy blocked a deal on renewable energy development. At the same time Germany is trying to get as many free emission rights as possible for its industry.

Meanwhile, in Poznan, the EU tries to convince developing countries to reduce Greenhouse Gases and to protect forests. “However, more and more countries discover the huge gap between the EU’s talking and acting – and this is poison for the talks in Poznan” says Konstantin Kreiser, BirdLife’s EU Policy Manager, currently observing the conference in Poland.

The summit of EU leaders on 11 and 12 December in Brussels, where the so called “climate and energy package” will be adopted, is a last chance for Europe to do its homework and to save its credibility in front of the world.

BirdLife therefore joins the calls of many other NGOs to demand a clear EU commitment to reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions at least by 30% (by 2020, compared to 1990 levels) as part of a global climate deal, and that most of these reductions will happen in Europe.
“The EU must support developing countries to address climate change, but this must come on top of Europe’s own responsibilities.” added Konstantin Kreiser. “We currently see many shameful attempts of European governments to escape from their own, previously ambitious, announcements.”

ENDS
For more information, please contact:
• Herlinde Herpoel, Media and Communication Manager at BirdLife International -
Tel: +32 494 542 844, Herlinde.herpoel@birdlife.org
• Konstantin Kreiser, EU Policy Manager at BirdLife International,
Tel: +32 498 54 22 92, Konstantin.kreiser@birdlife.org
Notes for the editor:
[1] BirdLife International is a global alliance of conservation NGOs working in more than 100 countries and territories that, together, are the leading authority on the status of birds, their habitats and the issues and problems affecting them. BirdLife is represented in 42 European countries and in all 27 Member States.
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