From Daniel Cohn-Bendit

Sir, The claim by Günter Verheugen, the European Union industry commissioner, that EU "environmental leadership could significantly undermine the international competitiveness" of the European economy (report, November 24) underlines his divorce from the environmental and economic reality in Europe and beyond.

The Stern report made clear what many of us have been saying for a long time: the cost of our failure to address climate change will be far greater than that of doing so. Quite apart from the environmental imperative of acting now, there is also a significant competitive advantage to be gained by the EU in being ahead of the field. By taking the lead in tackling what is a global crisis, EU industry can become a driving force in terms of innovation and competitiveness, pioneering a new generation of environmentally-friendly technologies, across all sectors of the economy.

Even most business leaders have now left behind their old arguments that protecting the environment should come second place to defending some outdated concept of competitiveness. The debate has moved on but Commissioner Verheugen clearly has been left behind.

For the sake of the European economy, as well as the environment, let us hope that his backward arguments are drowned out by the growing consensus for EU leadership on climate change.