Some of the United States based tech giants such as Facebook, Google and Microsoft have been found to be attached to a proposal by a lobby group that sternly opposes an attempt by the European Union to set for itself more ambitious goals for climate change.

According to media reports quoting a leaked document illustrates how BusinessEurope which is the largest business lobbying group, will call on its members to strictly fight any attempt by the European Commission to increase the clean energy carbon cuts and energy efficiency targets for the EU set for 2030

The issue of whether to increase the clean energy targets for the EU would be debated in November after an October release of a report by a crucial international science panel and before the global climate summit by the UN slated for December.

It has been revealed that big companies would be asked to come to an agreement for a “line to take” on the potential of more stricter climate targets at a meeting in Brussels by BusinessEurope. The lobby group’s “advocacy and communication strategy” suggest the companies to fight any measures by the commission to do so.

The document said: “To oppose the new increase of ambition, using the usual arguments of global playing field, we cannot compensate for others, etc,” the document said.

The group said that it should react by being “rather positive” if the European Commission chooses to say warm words and a political statement instead of a material ratcheting up of the targets.

A number of very well known companies in the energy and technology sectors are members of the BusinessEurope. Many of the companies have already expressed their views in favour of strong action on climate change.

There were no comments made from the tech giants Facebook, Google and Microsoft. It should be mentioned that all of these companies have been attempting to source their energy needs from renewable sources and have stressed emphasized the criticality of reducing emissions.

“This powerful industry lobby is busy plotting behind the scenes to derail further action from the EU ahead of a major climate summit,” said Kate Blagojevic, head of climate and energy at Greenpeace, which obtained the leaked document,

Blagojevic urged those companies who apparently are supporting the proposal to “reject this cynical plan and use Wednesday’s meeting to stop it in its tracks” while expressing surprise about the involvement of the companies in the lobby group.

The European Commission was contemplating whether to enhance the targets of carbon emission reduction from 40 per cent to 45 per cent by 2030, EU energy chief, Miguel Arias Cañete, had said in August.

(Adapted from TheGuardian.com)