The European Commission have rejected plans by the UK to increase the level of pollution heavy industry can emit under the European Union trading scheme, which is a key element in the fight to reduce climate change and meeting commitments under the Kyoto Protocol. Under the scheme set out in Directive 2003/87/EC, companies buy or sell rights to pollute, based on limits established by national Governments and approved by the Commission.
The request for additional carbon dioxide emissions for the 2005-2007 period was widely expected to be refused, as the proposed revisions were submitted after the deadline. The amended plan, which would have seen emission allowances rise by about 20 million tonnes, came around the same time as Tony Blair pledged to put climate change at the top of the agenda at the G8 summit in Gleneagles last year. The UK are currently considering their options, with further legal action a possibility should they decide to challenge the ruling.
