A KENT Green MEP has called for Europe’s politicians to end their "travelling circus" between Brussels and Strasbourg, saying it was responsible for pumping an extra 20,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere - more than some countries.

Dr Caroline Lucas, who represents Kent as a south east MEP, said a study she had commissioned laid bare the huge environmental costs of the European Parliament meeting in two countries.

Dr Lucas said the shock report was the first to examine in detail the climate change impact of the European Parliament’s split site arrangements.

"It is simply unacceptable that so much carbon dioxide is being emitted completely unnecessarily and that 200million euros is being wasted every year on this anachronistic travelling circus.

"These emissions aren’t just undermining EU efforts to cut CO2 across the union. They send out a clear signal to citizens, businesses and member country governments that cutting emissions isn’t as big a priority as defending the status quo."

The report was conducted by Professor of Sustainable Transport John Whitelegg of the Stockholm Environment Institute at the University of York.

It calculated the total extra carbon emissions generated every month by MEPs, staff, journalists and visitors travelling every month from Brussels to Strasbourg and back, in addition to the 'carbon costs' of freight between the two sites and the energy needed to maintain the two Parliament buildings.

It concluded the arrangement was responsible for at least 20,268 tonnes of unnecessary additional carbon dioxide emissions every year, although that figure is a conservative estimate as it includes only transport and energy costs.

The study says ending parliamentary sessions in Strasbourg would cut at a stroke the need for 2,650 offices, a debating chamber and nearly 50 conference rooms, most with full translation facilities. That could cut emissions by 3,928 tonnes of CO2 just in electricity and gas alone.

Similarly, the monthly travel of 2,000 parliamentary staff and interpreters, nearly 1,000 assistants, journalists and lobbyists, 785 MEPs, 15 lorry-loads of trunks and documents, would be rendered completely unnecessary.

The report, 'European Parliament two-seat operation: Environmental costs, transport and energy' was launched in Strasbourg on Wednesday.

Dr Lucas added: "The EU itself must exercise some environmental leadership and end the two seat arrangement immediately."