Most political parties now 'talk the talk' on climate change but when it comes down to it do they 'walk the walk'? Click on the different issues below to find out how MEPs voted in these important climate and energy votes. Once you have chosen the issue, you can choose to see how a whole political group voted or how MEPs from the same group in your country voted.

Make your selection
Country Group * Vote **
EU-wide | Conservative | 0

EU-wide | Conservative | 0

 

 
Description

Tackling climate change

Greenhouse gas emissions reductions

The European Parliament adopted a report on the EU's future climate policy in February 2009, setting out the EP's position on what the EU position should be. The UN IPCC, the scientific advisory body on climate change whose findings have been accepted by the EU, has stated that industrialised countries need to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions 80-95% by 2050 (based on 1990 levels) to have even a 50:50 chance of limiting global warming to below 2 degrees. This should therefore be the very least ambitious target range for EU policy. Despite this, the EPP group tabled an amendment calling for the EU's 2050 target to be a mere 60-80% reduction in greenhouse gases. Thankfully, this amendment was defeated but a surprisingly large number of MEPs voted for this insufficient and unscientific range.

See the list of how all MEPs voted on Roll-call vote 13 in the Florenz report (4th May 2009)

 
Key

Outcome explanation **

no vote
Supported the minimum necessary EU greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets
 
no vote
Some MEPs supported the minimum necessary EU greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets, others did not
 
no vote
Had no opinion whether the EU should have emissions targets that reflect the scientific advice
 
no vote
Some MEPs thought the EU should ignore the scientific advice it has already accepted and set lower, insufficient targets, others had no opinion
 
no vote
Thought the EU should ignore the scientific advice it has already accepted and set lower, insufficient targets
 
no vote
Not present / Did not vote / No MEPs match selection
 

Group name *

Conservative EPP-ED
Socialist PES
Liberals ALDE
Greens EFA
Communist GUE/NGL
UEN-right UEN
Eurosceptic Ind-Dem
Non-alligned NI