UN fears for Europe's climate plan

The UN’s climate chief said today he was worried the European Union may miss its deadline on a policy of emissions cuts.

An EU summit ended this week with a general agreement to stick to a target to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 20% below 1990 levels by 2020.

The EU has to produce a detailed plan by December on how it would implement the plan, but the summit concluded with a statement that softened that intention.

The UN ’s top climate official Yvo de Boer said that missing the December date also would delay a finance package, which the EU said would be ready early next year.

Developing countries are waiting to hear how money will be raised to help them adapt to global warming.