Jo Leinen, who chairs the European Parliament's environment committee, told journalists after its first meeting that the EU assembly is planning to send a delegation to Washington to clear concerns about emissions trading.
The aim of the visit would be to encourage the US Senate to pass ambitious climate legislation by explaining the benefits of the EU's climate and energy package, including legislation on renewable energy, efficiency and emissions trading, he added.
"We have had signals from the Senate that it would be useful to send a delegation from the European Parliament before they take a decision," Leinen said.
US lawmakers are under similar pressure from industrial lobbyists to dilute the infant legislation, as the EU did when passing its climate and energy package last December (EurActiv 13/05/09). While the House of Representatives passed its climate change bill in June, the Senate postponed again on Monday the passing of an amended version of the bill.
The Senate faces the difficult task of getting the 60 votes needed for the bill to be agreed on the floor. Most Republicans oppose the inclusion of cap-and-trade measures, and several Democrats have expressed concerns that the legislation would hurt fossil fuel-intensive industries.
Leinen argued that the EU could alleviate some of the concerns by sharing its ideas on issues like how to manage the relocation of industries to regions with less stringent environmental regulations (so-called 'carbon leakage'; see EurActiv LinksDossier).
EU wants tougher targets
The EU finds the emission reduction targets proposed so far by the US somewhat wanting.
The House bill would cut emissions to 17% below 2005 levels, which would in practice mean a return to 1990 levels.
Sweden's Environment Minister Andreas Carlgren, who joined the environment committee to discuss the Swedish EU Presidency's environmental priorities, argued that the bill emerging from the US Senate would be key to progress in the international negotiations.
The US has said that it will not be in a position to sign up to 40% emission reductions compared to 1990 levels by 2020 as demanded by developing nations, but has expressed willingness to consider 80% reductions in the long term.
The Swedish environment minister stressed that it is not yet necessary to look to a watered-down agreement in Copenhagen.
"We still hope for more ambitious emissions reductions from our American friends," Carlgren said, adding that the EU was now waiting to see what comes out of the Senate.
Carlgren said the Major Emitters Forum had agreed that developed countries should present both individual and collective pathways to keep global warming below 2°C, which is considered a critical threshold. What will count is the credibility of the parties' paths towards securing the long-term goals, he said.
The minister also said that the EU would seek to get the US on board as regards the urgent provision of up-front financing of climate adaptation before the new treaty enters into force. But he was careful not to suggest any figures for a broader EU mandate on climate funding in the absence of similar pledges from other industrialised countries.
