European Union to vote on power plant emissions: Play your part now!
Members of the European Parliament will next week debate and vote on minimum standards of emissions at power stations. This would have obvious consequences for the UK Government's plans to build a coal-fired power station at Kingsnorth, Kent...
MEPs are set to vote next Wednesday
What’s the background?
The European Union has a long history of passing laws that clean up European industry. It has already set tight restrictions on the amount of sulphur dioxide that industry is allowed to pump out, massively reducing emissions of this dangerous gas.
Bizarrely, though, it currently has no limits for carbon dioxide. This could be set to change next week when MEPs discuss electricity law.
Within the proposals is Amendment 159 that would effectively ban all new conventional coal-fired power plants anywhere in Europe by imposing a carbon dioxide emissions standard of 350g/kwh of electricity produced. If passed, it would send Government plans for Kingsnorth Power Station and others like it up in smoke.
Amendment 159 has been submitted by the MEPs in the European Greens group. in legislation being coordinated by Welsh Labour MEP Eluned Morgan.
Read our updated briefing on Kingsnorth.
Read NGOs’ Joint Statement on coal and carbon capture storage.
What can I do?
Well, first of all, you need to act fast! The debate is next Tuesday (17 June) and the vote is the following day.
You need to copy and paste the text from the box below - changing it if you want as it’s always more effective if it’s slightly more personal - and send it to your Member of the European Parliament (MEP).
Who is my MEP?
For European Parliament purposes, the UK is divided into twelve regions. Each region has between three and ten MEPs and each MEP in a region represents each person living there.
For example, if you live in Cambridge, all seven Eastern MEPs represent you and you should contact all of them! Yes, that means more than one email. But just think how much longer it took in the days of letters!
You can find out who your MEPs are - and their email addresses - by visiting the European Parliament’s website.
What should I say to them?
Copy and paste the template below, fill in the MEP’s name along with your own, and email it to your MEPs now, inserting ‘Ban new coal: Support Amendment 159 (MORGAN)’ in the Subject line:
Dear XXXX MEP,
I understand that the European Parliament is shortly to debate and vote on electricity law.
I would like to convey to you my full support for Amendment 159 prohibiting Member States from authorising the construction of new power stations that emit more than 350g of carbon dioxide per kilowatt hour produced.
I believe that the risks attached to not adopting such an amendment are too great to be ignored. Climate change is the biggest threat facing the world and we need radical action urgently if we are to avert climate chaos. Low carbon electricity is the foundation of a low carbon economy. Decarbonising electricity is the biggest single action the EU can take to cut carbon emissions.
The EU risks being left behind. California has already adopted a minimum carbon dioxide emissions performance standard for new power plants. This works within market dynamics as it allows the market to choose which low carbon technology to deploy and encourages innovation on carbon capture and storage. As a result utilities are now enthusiastic advocates of low carbon electricity and efficiency, and while US per capita energy use has risen by 50% California’s has remained flat for thirty years, obviating the construction of twenty-four new large power plants.
As a constituent, I urge you to vote in favour of Amendment 159.
Yours sincerely,
XXXX XXXX.
Please CC. eluned.morgan@europarl.europa.eu and BCC. campaigns@peopleandplanet.org