EU clinches climate change deal
2007-03-09 16:08
Brussels - European Union leaders clinched a landmark climate change accord on Friday that set a binding target for renewable energies to make up 20% of overall EU energy consumption by 2020.
Talks at an EU summit had broken up overnight with divisions over the issue of "renewables," but by late Friday morning leaders had agreed a compromise that accorded member states a degree of flexibility in achieving their individual national targets.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel, whose country holds the rotating EU presidency, said the agreement would usher in a new era in the fight against global warming.
The accord commits the European Union to making renewable energies, such as solar and wind power, the source of 20% of the bloc's energy consumption by 2020.
The leaders also pledged to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide by 20% by 2020, compared to 1990 levels.
Countries like Poland and the Czech Republic which are heavily dependent on carbon energy sources like coal, had complained that the binding renewable energies target was overly ambitious and prohibitively expensive.
To bring those states on board, the agreement stressed that "differentiated national overall targets" would be set, "with due regard to a fair and adequate allocation" that took into account the potential of each member state.
"There has to be flexibility. Different nations have different conditions," Swedish foreign minister Carl Bildt told reporters.
"For instance, we can easily meet the renewable target in Sweden - in fact we are above it. But others are having substantial difficulties," Bildt said.
Nuclear power
The accord represents a minor victory for France by having nuclear power recognised as one way to reduce carbon dioxide emissions.
The text noted the European Commission's assessment of the contribution of nuclear energy in "meeting the growing concerns about safety of energy supply and carbon dioxide emissions reductions".
However, it also highlighted safety concerns stating that "nuclear safety and security" should be "paramount in the decision-making process".
Barroso said he believed the final agreement comprised "the most ambitious package ever agreed by any institution or any group of countries" to combat climate change.
But he stressed that the steps taken at the summit marked just the beginning of what would be a long and complicated process.
"What we are proposing is overall targets for Europe, but afterwards we have to take into consideration the different national situations to come with specific proposals," Barroso said.
Green groups have criticised the 20% reduction target for carbon emissions as inadequate.
"A 30% reduction is needed for the EU to meet its own objective of keeping the global temperature increase below two degrees celsius," Friends of the Earth said in a statement.