Only a few days before the Kyoto Protocol became law, the UK, which is projecting itself as a leader on climate change, ran into an embarrassing confrontation with the EC over its revised emissions allocation plan. The revised plan would allow the UK to increase its emissions by 19.8 tonnes of carbon between 2005 and 2008. The EC rejected this new plan put forward in October 2004 and asked the UK to revert to its March 2004 plan. When the UK submitted its March plan, it had said that it was subject to revision. When the UK came up with no revisions until July, the EC approved its plan.

The UK says it revised the plan following new emissions estimates. The EC rejected it on two grounds. One, it does not want to set a wrong precedent. Second, allocations too generous would impede EU's Emissions Trading Scheme.

The EC has warned that if the UK goes ahead with its revised plan, the action would be considered illegal. But the UK has released the new plan to its industry and even threatened to take the EC to court if it refuses to approve it.