Labour to ‘effectively abolish’ renewable energy targets

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Labour ministers are planning a dramatic U-turn on the country's renewable energy targets

Labour ministers are planning a dramatic U-turn on the country's renewable energy targets, according to the Guardian today.

The report states that a leaked document 'effectively abolishes' its target of 20 per cent of all European energy to come from renewable energy sources by 2020, due to 'severe practical difficulties'.

It is understood that John Hutton, secretary of state for business, will tell Prime Minister Gordon Brown that Britain should work with other sceptical European governments about climate change to 'help persuade' German chancellor Angela Merkel to lower her targets.

The move comes just over a month before binding commitments over renewable energy targets are framed in December.

According to the article, Hutton's report admits that 'allowing member states to fall short of renewable targets will be 'very hard to negotiate… and will be very controversial'.

The report adds: 'The commission, some member states and the European parliament will not want the target to be diluted, though others may be allies'.

The news follows yesterday's reports that carbon emissions were accumulating faster than expected, as oceans and forests become less able to soak up carbon dioxide.