EU announces new energy plan to fight climate change

WATCH VIDEO

Source: CCTV.com | 01-11-2007 10:13

The European Union has announced a new energy plan to combat climate change.

The EU has announced a new energy plan to tackle climate change head on. It's proposed big cuts to greenhouse gases and wants radical moves to limit dependence on oil and gas.

The main culprit in global warming is carbon dioxide a product in the burning of oil and gas. Smoke from refineries across Europe continues to drive up temperatures. And EU scientists blame ecosystem damage for freak weather conditions, and severe flooding in parts of France.

The EU is now pushing for international action, calling on developed countries to cut greenhouse gas emissions within the next decade and a half to 30 percent below 1990 levels. And in what officials call a revolutionary move, the EU says it will lead the way. It's pledged that with or without global support, it will move forward unilaterally, with an internal target of a 20 percent cut.

Jose Manuel Barroso, European Commission President, said, "Today the European Commission will call on the European Council to agree to promote a 30 percent cut in greenhouse gas emissions by 2020 for developed countries in international negotiations. But European Union needs to act now. This is why we propose a European Union commitment now to reduce European Union greenhouse emissions by at least 20 percent by 2020 as compared to 1990 levels."

Also on the agenda is greater reliance on renewable sources proposing that wind and biofuel energy make up at least a fifth of the bloc's energy mix, again, by 2020.

EU governments have yet to approve the plan. But it has its skeptics even now. Many say countries phasing out nuclear reactors will find it hard to cut emissions. Others say setting minimum levels for clean energy use is unrealistic, with many countries already struggling to meet existing targets. Even the much-hailed 20 percent cut has come under fire.

Environmentalists say it's too low while a business lobby claims the opposite, saying it's too high for European businesses to stay competitive.

Editor:Du Xiaodan