In a clear example of how individual sustainability movements are seemingly entirely unsustainable in a shaky economy, the European Union’s strict climate action policy, set to come in to effect as of 2013 (and onwards), has been drastically overhauled in an attempt to restimulate business, polluting or otherwise, in the area.

The European Union’s Emission Trading System was designed by the European Commission earlier this year, setting forward a plan to require polluters to purchase pollution credits (that is, pay a pollution tax) for all emissions created after 2013.

Germany, Italy and Poland all of which share in large iron, coal, steel, cement and other relatively high-polluting industries, attacked the policy, suggesting that it would severely hamper the economy and have “considerable negative impacts” [BusinessEurope] on European business, particularly on a level of international competitiveness and should be refactored to be more acceptable for local business.

Various green movement groups were upset, when Friday, EU leaders came to an agreement to allow large exemptions for manufacturers from having to pay. Nonetheless, France submitted a statement to appease green workers, suggesting that the emission control legislation was going to force France to restructure it’s industry entirely around a new lowered emissions target.

“Europe has decided to keep its commitments, our message to our global partners is ‘yes you can’. Yes you can do what we are doing.” says European Commission president, Jos&eaigu; Manuel Barroso, after suggesting that president-elect Barack Obama should work in joint operation with the EU to achieve environmental goals.

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