EU urged to take lead on climate after Brazil and India let the world down

On the first day of the UN's climate change summit in Durban, South Africa, UK Lib Dem MEP and President of the ELDR party Sir Graham Watson,has urged the EU to join forces with smaller nations in trying to urgently secure a new climate agreement.

Ahead of his own arrival at the talks in Durban next Sunday, Sir Graham who is also Chairman of a global network of MPs and MEPs from all mainstream political parties campaigning for investment in renewable energy and electricity supergrids called the Climate Parliament, said:

"The curtain is up, the show has begun, and yet the 2011 climate summit in Durban seems already to be under threat thanks to the sheer cowardice of the world's big players. But it would appear that it isn't just the usual suspects such as the US, Russia and Japan, but now also Brazil and India, that are lacking in backbone."

"As the Chair of the European Parliament's delegation for relations with India, and the chair of the Climate Parliament, this is disappointing indeed. I urge Obama, Medvedev, Noda, Roussef and Singh to change their tune."

"I therefore call on the European Union, more than ever the global leader of the fight against climate change, to forge an alliance with smaller developing and developed countries - both those such as small island states who are in immediate danger from climate change, and those who still understand that our common future as a planet depends on taking collective action fast - to make sure a strong new climate agreement comes into force as quickly as quickly as possible, not in 2015."