BRUSSELS, Dec. 3 (UPI) -- Delegates from the European Parliament announced plans to join climate talks under way in Cancun, Mexico, to press for a binding international deal.
Jo Leinen, chairman of the European Parliament's environment committee, leads a team of lawmakers next week to Cancun. The delegation will stress that 30 percent as a reduction target for carbon emissions by 2020 is in the interest of "future economic growth."
Leaders at the U.N.-backed climate summit are lauding the economic benefits of a green energy future. Climate talks remain deadlocked after last year's summit in Denmark failed to conclude with concrete legislation.
The European Parliament in November laid out an ambitious set of recommendations for the climate talks, calling on world leaders to "demonstrate real political leadership" at the summit. Lawmakers also lamented what they said was the lack of preparation for the latest round of climate talks.
The EU said it would "consider" a second commitment period for the Kyoto Protocol provided that it paved the way to a wider global agreement.
Europe said it was pursuing an agenda at Cancun that embraces reductions in tropical deforestation, reforms and expansions to the carbon market, and greater transparency rules.
Decisions at Cancun, the European community said, should make it possible to start action on the ground right away, especially in developing countries.