EU leaders back energy targets

EU LEADERS yesterday backed ambitious targets to cut energy use and fight climate change but stressed that the package must not involve “excessive costs” amid an economic downturn.

In a draft agreement, the 27 European heads of state and government pledged to finalise the global warming action plan so that it can come into effect in early 2009. However the strong ambitions could not hide preoccupations among many of the member states for their own particular national interests.

A last-minute change to the draft increased room for manoeuvre in the climate change goals, including a mention that the targets should be introduced so as to “avoid excessive costs for member states”.

The plan aims to meet the EU’s over-arching goal to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide — the main gas responsible for global warming — by 20% by 2020, compared to 1990 levels.

They have committed to go to 30% if other countries would match them. To achieve that figure, EU states are obliged to make renewable energies the source of 20% of the total energy consumption across the bloc by 2020. The present level is just 6-7%.

The blueprint also includes a carbon trading system and a political commitment that biofuels should make up 10% of total vehicle fuel in Europe by 2020.