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‘The world needs our leadership and support,’ Lib Dem MEP Chris Davies tells Conservative counterparts Tory MEPs who are threatening to undermine David Cameron over tougher European climate change targets have been warned that their behaviour risks ruining Britain’s reputation as a leading voice in the fight against global warming. Hours before a European Parliament vote in Brussels, Liberal Democrat MEP Chris Davies said the rebels risked not just damaging the prime minister but also the UK’s green credentials. Aid agencies and green groups have urged Cameron to take on his MEPs before the crucial vote on whether to increase a current EU emissions cuts target of 20% to 30% by 2020. A letter signed by Christian Aid, Oxfam, Greenpeace, WWF and Green Alliance urged the PM to bring Martin Callanan, the Conservatives’ European leader, and fellow MEPs into line with coalition policy. The coalition deal explicitly calls on the EU to aim for a 30% reduction compared with 1990 levels, but Callanan warned that a unilateral EU increase to 30% without Europe’s key global partners also committing to the figure would put European companies at a competitive disadvantage. A Tory No vote would infuriate the energy secretary, Chris Huhne, who has backed the European commission in its efforts to persuade EU ministers to endorse a 30% target. Davies, the Liberal Democrat environment spokesman in the European Parliament, said: “This vote will be a crucial test of Conservative MEPs’ commitment to combat global warming, and the signs are that it is one they will fail. Raising the target to 30% is crucial if low carbon investment is to be stimulated, and the policy of the coalition Government could not be more clear.” “It’s well known that there are climate change deniers in the Conservative ranks in Brussels and it seems now that they have gained the upper hand. “Tory MEPs need to think long and hard about whether they will vote against government policy and undermine David Cameron. The world needs our leadership and support if attempts to secure an international agreement to combat climate change are to have any chance of success.” Recently, 70 leading businesses backed the 30% cuts target, which supporters say will be a more cost-effective way of tackling climate change, stimulating green growth and jobs. The low carbon industry is said already to have provided one million jobs in the UK. Oxfam’s head of UK government relations, Kathleen Spencer Chapman said: “Millions of poor people are already suffering from the impacts of climate change and need Conservative MEPs to fall in behind their own prime minister’s policy on tougher EU emissions cut targets. The prime minister should use his personal influence to get his party’s MEPs behind his government’s welcome support for more ambitious EU climate targets.” Friends of the Earth’s executive director Andy Atkins said: “David Cameron’s pledge to lead the greenest government ever will be seriously undermined if he can’t even get his party’s elected representatives to back official policy on climate change.” Earlier this week, Poland refused to back the commission’s “road map” which sets out long-term moves to a low carbon economy and the case for more stringent emissions cuts. Green politics Climate change European commission European Union David Cameron Conservatives Conservative and Liberal Democrat cabinet Liberal-Conservative coalition Carbon emissions guardian.co.uk