By Ranjan Kumar Amritnidhi, Delhi

” This is not the time to abandon a climate change agenda which is important for the future & The climate change agenda is part of the solution for many of the problems we face as a world economy.” speaking in Brussels earlier today the UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown said.

Gordon Brown’s comments today in support of the EU climate change agenda has been welcomed by Friends of the Earth. The environmental campaign group warned that failure to tackle climate change could lead to environmental and economic catastrophe.

Europe’s climate change plans commit the bloc to cutting its emissions by 20 per cent by 2020 and 30 per cent if a global climate change deal is reached next year. However recent reports reveal that a number of member states intend to abandon plans to automatically increase the target for cutting European emissions from 20 to 30 per cent because of the financial crisis.

Friends of the Earth’s Climate Campaigner, Robin Webster, said:

“Gordon Brown is right to highlight the importance of Europe’s climate change agenda-urgent action to cut carbon dioxide emissions is essential to safeguard our economy and our environment. The Prime Minister must do everything he can to ensure that plans to water down the EU’s climate agenda are defeated and halt UK efforts to try and wriggle out European renewable energy commitments. Even ambitious climate change plans are likely to costless than one per cent of member states’ national income. Delaying action will increase the devastation caused by climate change and make this figure seem like small change.”