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EU leaders support tough emissions cut |
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European leaders agreed last week on a mandatory target to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 20% from the 1990 level by 2020, challenging the world to follow their lead in fighting climate change.
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2007-03-12
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The heads of state and government of the 27 EU Member States have committed to a target of reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by at least one fifth from the 1990 level by 2020, offering to endorse even a 30% reduction if other developed nations join. This is a key result from the two-day debate on climate change and European energy policy on 8-9 March in Brussels. EU leaders thus challenge other major polluter such as the United States, Russia, China and India to follow the European leadership and commit to deep cuts in GHG emissions.
In addition, it emerged from the meeting a commitment to:
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- reduce EU-wide energy consumption by 20% by 2020. However, this target is indicative and non binding.
- implement rapidly the Energy Efficiency Action Plan the European Commission had proposed in October 2006. This will most likely also include minimum efficiency requirements for Mobile Air Conditioning.
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Reactions
While the French President Jacques Chirac called the unilateral reduction targets "part of the great moment of European history", the British Premier Tony Blair described them as "groundbreaking, bold, ambitious."
"We think that Europe could set an example for others to implement more attractive and better climate protection goals," said the German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who currently holds the EU Presidency. "Europe has a leading role and we believe that, through innovation, more jobs and export opportunities will arise," she added.
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon welcomed the EU conclusions: "In the face of rising greenhouse gas emissions, committing to a substantial decrease for the next decade is ambitious,"
Next steps
Angela Merkel, who holds the presidency of the G-8 (Group of Eight industrialized nations) on top of that of the EU, will discuss the emissions reduction plans with U.S. President Bush and other G-8 leaders at a summit in June.
The United Nations has called for "ambition and creativity" of all countries to participate in the UN Climate Change Conference in December in Bali, Indonesia, and intensify international cooperation in the fight against global warming.
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More information:
 European Council 8-9 March, 2007 – Presidency Conclusions (211 KB)
› See our news on the last Energy Ministers meeting from 22 February, 2007
› See our news on the Energy Efficiency Action Plan from 24 November, 2006
› Find more information on the EU in our Policies Section
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