EU Parliament Member Blasts Global Warming Activists for Denying Science
MEPs Reject Changes to Carbon Emissions Freeze (BBC)
MEPs have rejected a proposal to back a change to laws on the trading of carbon emission quotas.
In a debate on 15 April 2013, Climate Action Commissioner Connie Hedegaard said the proposal to introduce "backloading" -- whereby the Commission could intervene in CO2 emissions trading - could mitigate the recent fall in carbon prices.
The auction of carbon emissions quotas are a key part of the EU's Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS), and Ms Hedegaard said that setting carbon prices or freezing some of the auctions could help boost green investment.
She said there was a current unexpected build-up of allowance surpluses, due to a fall in industrial activity as a result of the economic crises.
At committee stage, MEPs were deeply divided with the Environment Committee narrowly supporting the plans, and the Industry Committee opposing the Commission.