EU emissions deal in tatters

It had to happen (thanks to Tom Nelson). The UK Times Online reports:

Plans for binding European legislation by December were dropped as the EU watered down the carbon dioxide blueprint that it had announced with a fanfare 18 months ago.

The revolt by eight countries, led by Italy and Poland, left the EU’s self-proclaimed mission to shape a global, post-Kyoto agreement on greenhouse gases in disarray.

Italy has joined the "Iron Curtain Revolt" with Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi "furious" at the pressure being applied, saying that the targets would "crucify" Italian industry.

“Our businesses are in absolutely no position at the moment to absorb the costs of the regulations that have been proposed,” Mr Berlusconi said later.

Donald Tusk, the Polish Prime Minister, said: “We don’t say to the French that they have to close down their nuclear power industry and build windmills, and nobody can tell us the equivalent.”

So, Kevin Rudd and Penny Wong, where does this leave your blinkered desire to cripple the Australian economy with an emissions trading scheme? I won't wait up for an answer.

Read it here.

P.S. I can't, however, wait to see how the Moonbat Herald and The Age spin this tomorrow...