The EU’s ambitions for an aggressive cut in carbon emissions have been dealt a blow after the European Parliament voted against key pieces of climate legislation, following a clash between MEPs over how tough to make the proposals.
The setback shows how politically complicated it will be to approve legislation aimed at reducing carbon emissions and tackling climate change, as governments and industries deal with growing concern over inflation, including steep rises in energy costs.
A majority of MEPs in Strasbourg, made up of socialist and far-right lawmakers, rejected a parliamentary report on the expansion of the Emissions Trading System, a mechanism for industry to trade rights to emit carbon that forms a crucial part of Brussels’ green legislative package.