On the 14 July the European Parliament’s new term of office (2009-2014) commenced. During the 2004-2009 term delivering climate action was a key priority of many MEPs, with the Parliament helping to increase the ambition of EU climate policy.

In a letter to the new Parliament a cross party grouping of leading MEPs and former MEPs – including Dorette Corbey, Chris Davis, Avril Doyle, Karl Heinz Florenz, Gerben-Jan Gerbrandy, Satu Hassi, Jo Leinen, Sirpa Pietikäinen, Claude Turmes, Graham Watson and Anders Wijkmans have called on the new Parliament to maintain momentum in terms of combating climate change, delivering more ambitious policy measures. The agreement, at the end of 2008, of the EU’s Climate and Energy package was an important achievement but represents the beginning of the solution not its conclusion.

Over the coming months IEEP and the cross party grouping will offer an independent perspective on the climate issues to support MEPs. This will include briefing materials examining: the urgency with which we need to act; the challenge climate change poses to Europe and internationally; the policies available to support action; and future needs. This will be complemented by a series of lunchtime workshops during Autumn 2009 for MEPs, providing a forum for debate on key questions including:

• The urgency of climate action and the challenge this poses for the Copenhagen conference
• Copenhagen outcomes and the possible triggering of a 30 per cent emission reduction commitment
• Future policy priorities for Europe – key challenges for 2010 and beyond