Eu Agrees to 20 Percent Cut in Greenhouse Gas Emissions

AEN News

London - The European Union on Tuesday agreed to a 20 percent cut in carbon emissions by 2020 in an effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions across Europe. The 13-year emissions cut is below the level of carbon emissions the EU pact is asking of the United States and other industrialized nations, which it would like to see impose greenhouse gas emission cuts of 30 percent during the same time frame.

The cut in carbon emissions was made binding on all 27 European Union member countries by EU ministers on Tuesday, though none of the EU members can agree on how to "share the burden".

Great Britain and Germany, for example, have agreed to even steeper carbon emission cuts while other EU countries which are growing rapidly are to be given more leeway, mostly because of their developing nation stature. The goal now is to cut a burden sharing deal between EU member countries before the G8 summit of industrialised countries, including Russia, in Heiligendamm in Germany, in June.

Great Britain's Prime Minister Tony Blair is an outspoken supporter of combating climate change and a proponent of curbing greenhouse gas emissions worldwide, not just in the UK or Europe. Blair called the EU agreement "an historic milestone."

"Our commitment to a 30% cut [on 1990 levels] as part of a global agreement strengthens the EU's ability to lead the debate at the G8 and UN climate change talks and to secure an ambitious outcome," David Miliband, EU environment secretary, said. While Milibrand and Blair were bullish on the carbon emission cuts, some countries initially objected with Hungary, Finland and Poland objecting to the 20% cut, saying it was too steep a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions for them to meet without causing economic hardships.

Even though Hungary, Finland and Poland opposed the carbon cuts, Sweden and Denmark thought 20% was too little and that all EU member countries should cut greenhouse gas emissions unilaterally by 30%. EU officials said the 30% cut being proposed to other industrialized nations was an opening volley for a new post-Kyoto agreement that they hoped the United States and China would both accept. The first Kyoto agreement's terms expire in 2012 and the United States has tried to distance itself even from that, saying it was impractical to impose on it's citizens and industry - that the cost would be too great economically.

The Bush administration has also been reluctant to admit to global warming being caused by human intervention as well, though after recent scientific research was released by a panel of global experts, the U.S. government has been taking a more-friendly outlook towards cutting pollution levels. The European Commission noted that the EU was only responsible for 14% of the world's greenhouse gas emissions and that if it were to cut carbon emissions 30% by itself, it still would not be enough to halt the march of global warming. Therefore, it was up to the United States, China and other industrialized nations to cooperate. "If we do 30% alone, the costs for the EU would be too high," they said.

EU environment commissioner Stavros Dimas said, We can only succeed if the international community moves urgently to strike a comprehensive agreement to reduce global emissions after 2012. The EU has demonstrated its seriousness by committing to a cut of at least 20% before negotiations start." Dimas said the hope of the EU is to see a global deal in place by 2009, which would be spearheaded by the United Nations.

Last week the UN said it hoped to curb toxic mercury pollution through a voluntary programme. The programme, agreed to by 140 governments at the close of a gathering of environment ministers at the UN Environment Programmes (UNEP) Governing Council/Global Ministerial Environment Forum in Nairobi, Kenya, two weeks ago, calls for developing partnerships between governments, industry and other key groups to curb mercury emissions, ranging from power stations and mines to industrial and consumer products.

After two years, governments will gauge its success and reflect on whether the voluntary initiative has worked or whether negotiations should commence on a new international and legally-binding treaty. Dimas says that with the help of the United Nations, more countries may get involved in curbing greenhouse gas emissions and that if needed, the UN could impose a treaty, which could push countries like the United States into being more cooperative.

Of note in the EU ministers agreement is the fact that many of Europes member countries are still far short of their Kyoto agreements in curbing carbon emissions and Dimas says, airliners and autos are a target of consideration at this juncture, which will pressure manufacturers to accelerate production of more fuel efficient jets and vehicles if they want to sell them in the EU.