EU member nations agree to cut greenhouse emissions
Environment ministers from European Union member nations have agreed, at least in principle, to cut greenhouse emissions by 20 percent from 1990 levels by 2020 and to work toward a 30 percent cut worldwide if other developed nations are willing to do the same.
The EU must still figure out how and where to make the cuts, setting the stage for compromise with member nations such as new members Poland and Hungary as well as Finland, all of which are said to oppose mandatory targets for the cuts. Ministers from the UK, Spain and Slovenia supported the 30 percent target, while German Environment Minister Sigmar Gabriel said his country was prepared to cut emissions by 40 percent.
Advocates of national limits said that failure of the EU to act would make it more difficult to convince nations such as the US and China to agree to limit their emissions. But some nations have said they doubt that setting national emissions limits will have any effect on current environmental problems. Further, international negotiations toward standards to replace the Kyoto Protocol, which expires in 2012, have not been able to reach agreement.
Discussion Area - Leave a Comment
You must be logged in to post a comment.