What next from Brussels?

PERHAPS the EU is not really serious about the environment. Farmers worry about EU measures to cut greenhouse gases, but wonder if they may be part of a political bluff mounted in Brussels for reasons unknown to the average punter.

Why else would the EU be avidly pursing free trade with South American countries, after the Joint Research Centre of the EU Commission recently estimated that Brazil’s growing beef exports to the EU required deforestation of 11,000 hectares per year from 1987 to 2006? For every hectare of forest converted to grassland, about 600 tonnes of carbon dioxide are emitted.

Brazil contributes 5% of the emissions causing global warming, but has pledged to cut emissions about 40% by 2020, mostly by tackling deforestation, industry and farming.