EU urges nations to think long term as 30% cut flails

THE European Union yesterday urged major world polluters to set new long-term goals to fight climate change, realising they will fail to match its ambitious offer to slash greenhouse gas emissions.

Going into climate talks in Copenhagen, the EU pledged to cut carbon dioxide emissions by 20% by 2020, compared with 1990 levels, but also offered to increase that to 30% if other developing nations do the same.

But with the United States and China camping on their pre-Copenhagen positions, senior EU officials urged developing nations to look beyond 2020, when Washington in particular could step up its efforts.