Today European Liberals and Democrats have endorsed the energy/climate change package. Although Liberal Democrat negotiators ideally would like to have seen a more ambitious package, they have voted in favour. The compromise is an important step in the European fight against climate change.

Lena EK (Centre Party, Sweden), author of the ITRE opinion on Emission Trading said: "Finally we have this package. In a period where we have to go through an economic crisis this package is a win-win situation. The green investments will create jobs and give our industry a lead.  By adopting this set of measures we have confirmed Europe's leadership in tackling global warming. We have created a framework which is less bureaucratic and more transparent. Of course we would liked to have taken it further, but we should be happy that 27 Member States have reached an agreement. Rejecting this compromise is no option, since it would leave us with empty hands in Copenhagen next year."

Liberal Democrat group spokesperson on the environment and rapporteur on CCS, Chris Davies (Lib Dem, UK) claimed as a victory the European Council's decision to back his proposals for the use of 'surplus' emissions trading allowances to support carbon capture and storage demonstration projects: "CCS has vast potential to reduce CO2 emissions from power plants and industrial installations.  It is vital that we develop the technology and this decision will enable an early start to be made on construction of major demonstration plants across Europe."

ALDE shadow rapporteur on the renewables package Fiona Hall (Lib Dem, UK) said:: "The renewables part of the climate package will bring radical change to how EU energy is sourced. The renewables industry is offered legal certainty and the sweeping away of current barriers such as lack of connection to the grid.. If Parliament had had its way, certain requirements would have been more stringent. But this text deserves our full support, because it represents a giant European step forward in the fight against climate change and energy dependency. The EU will lead the world on renewable energy."

ALDE shadow rapporteur on the effort sharing Johannes Lebech (Radikale Venstre, Denmark) believes Parliament and Council have reached a historic achievement: "We would have liked to reduce the possibility for member states to buy external credits and count them towards their reduction targets. Nonetheless, Europe will be the only continent with such far-reaching legislation to fight climate change. This deal enables us to play a leading role in next year's negotiations in Copenhagen."