http://www.energyefficiencynews.com/i/4201/

The EU Environmental Council meeting in Luxembourg yesterday failed to reach an agreement on proposals to tighten up the region's emission reduction target from 20% to 30% by 2020.

"I'm deeply disappointed that the only country in the EU that could not accept a good compromise on how we can move Europe to a low carbon economy was Poland," UK Energy and Climate Change Secretary Chris Huhne said yesterday after the meeting.

He said it was a "dark day" for Europe but pledged that the UK and its European colleagues - including France, Germany and Denmark - will continue to make the economic case for tighter carbon targets.

"Delay and blockage is a recipe for increased costs and missed opportunities," he warned.

Meanwhile, green groups are urging UK Prime Minister David Cameron to ensure that Conservative MEPs support proposals for the 30% target in a vote in the European Parliament tomorrow.

According to Friends of the Earth, some MEPs are planning to vote against the measure, much to the chagrin of Huhne and the Coalition.

"Cameron's pledge to lead the greenest Government ever will be seriously undermined if he can't even get his party's elected representatives to back official policy on climate change," says executive director of Friends of the Earth, Andy Atkins. "The Prime Minister must show leadership by telling his MEPs to support proposals to cut European emissions by 30% by 2020."