03-09-2007, 09:37 PM
Source: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/wo...492647.ece
![[Image: energy2147615alw2.jpg]](http://img80.imageshack.us/img80/3392/energy2147615alw2.jpg)
European leaders today launched a green revolution, after agreeing to take on ambitious climate change goals including legally-binding targets for switching to renewable energy sources such as wind, wave and solar power.
The landmark deal, which came at the end of an EU summit in Brussels, saw leaders pledge to cut overall levels of greenhouse gas emissions by 20 per cent from 1990 levels by the year 2020 - vowing to boost the figure to 30 per cent if the rest of the developed world does the same.
They also agreed a separate binding target of obtaining at least 20 per cent of all Europe�s energy needs from renewable sources by the same date.
The agreement came after hours of wrangling over how far European countries should go in leading the new global environmental campaign.
Angela Merkel, the German Chancellor, whose country holds the rotating EU presidency, said the agreement would usher in a new era in the fight against global warming.
�It has been possible to, as it were, open the door to a new dimension of European co-operation for years to come in the area of energy and combatting climate change.�
The second part of the deal - addressing the issue of renewable energy - was said to be the most difficult - convincing poorer countries still heavily reliant on the carbon economy to commit themselves to such tough aims.
The answer was a compromise summit deal on �burden-sharing� - allowing nations such as Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic to contribute less to the new green agenda than others.
But to achieve the target of changing Europe�s energy mix to an overall 20 per cent from renewable sources as planned, the deal means better-placed countries such as Germany will have to do more.
The compromise was enough to win round France and Finland, concerned that their relatively high use of low-carbon nuclear energy should let them off the hook too.
EU leaders were determined today not to let last-minute wrangling send the wrong political signal about the importance of tackling climate change. Tony Blair emerged from the meeting to declare: �This summit has seen Europe embark on a bold and ambitious move on climate change.�
The Prime Minister said it had been a �groundbreaking� European meeting. Last night he spoke of the urgent need for Europe to show leadership on one of the most pressing political issues of the day.
At one stage the pressure for legally-binding targets on renewable energy looked as if it could scupper a deal.
But the final summit conclusions offered the necessary flexibility by making clear that, in achieving the 20 per cent renewable target, the �different national starting points� would be taken into consideration, including the existing level of renewable energies and energy mix.
Mr Blair had already backed Germany, Italy, Sweden and the European Commission in endorsing binding targets even before the summit began.
And he made clear there was no room for failure to agree, if the rest of the developed world was to be expected to join the new green revolution.
He said the agreement was a matter of �pride� for Britain because it had set the process in motion.
�This agenda very much grows out of what we tried to do in our G8 presidency in 2005 and in our presidency of the EU in the latter half of 2005, where we put energy policy really on the agenda for the European Union,� he said.
�Therefore it is tremendous to think that 18 months later we have what I think is a historic summit on this issue.�
Mr Blair said securing the 20 per cent reduction in administrative burden had also been a �priority� for the UK.
He told journalists: �These are a set of groundbreaking, bold and ambitious targets for the European Union. They will require an immense amount of work for Europe to secure this.
David Frost, Director-General of the British Chambers of Commerce, welcomed the pledge to reduce carbon emissions as "a major turning point" but insisted it was essential for non-European countries to share the burden of tackling climate change.
"Businesses agree that action needs to be taken but we need to make sure that this does not result in more regulation and UK and European businesses do not bear the costs alone in reducing carbon emissions," he said.
"Businesses, such as our members, are aware of the issue of climate change and are taking the initiative in implementing energy efficient policies. The BCC expects clear guidelines on how the 20 per cent target can be achieved. If a true shift towards rising to the challenge of climate change is to be achieved then other nations such as the US, India and China must come on board."
European leaders today launched a green revolution, after agreeing to take on ambitious climate change goals including legally-binding targets for switching to renewable energy sources such as wind, wave and solar power.
The landmark deal, which came at the end of an EU summit in Brussels, saw leaders pledge to cut overall levels of greenhouse gas emissions by 20 per cent from 1990 levels by the year 2020 - vowing to boost the figure to 30 per cent if the rest of the developed world does the same.
They also agreed a separate binding target of obtaining at least 20 per cent of all Europe�s energy needs from renewable sources by the same date.
The agreement came after hours of wrangling over how far European countries should go in leading the new global environmental campaign.
Angela Merkel, the German Chancellor, whose country holds the rotating EU presidency, said the agreement would usher in a new era in the fight against global warming.
�It has been possible to, as it were, open the door to a new dimension of European co-operation for years to come in the area of energy and combatting climate change.�
The second part of the deal - addressing the issue of renewable energy - was said to be the most difficult - convincing poorer countries still heavily reliant on the carbon economy to commit themselves to such tough aims.
The answer was a compromise summit deal on �burden-sharing� - allowing nations such as Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic to contribute less to the new green agenda than others.
But to achieve the target of changing Europe�s energy mix to an overall 20 per cent from renewable sources as planned, the deal means better-placed countries such as Germany will have to do more.
The compromise was enough to win round France and Finland, concerned that their relatively high use of low-carbon nuclear energy should let them off the hook too.
EU leaders were determined today not to let last-minute wrangling send the wrong political signal about the importance of tackling climate change. Tony Blair emerged from the meeting to declare: �This summit has seen Europe embark on a bold and ambitious move on climate change.�
The Prime Minister said it had been a �groundbreaking� European meeting. Last night he spoke of the urgent need for Europe to show leadership on one of the most pressing political issues of the day.
At one stage the pressure for legally-binding targets on renewable energy looked as if it could scupper a deal.
But the final summit conclusions offered the necessary flexibility by making clear that, in achieving the 20 per cent renewable target, the �different national starting points� would be taken into consideration, including the existing level of renewable energies and energy mix.
Mr Blair had already backed Germany, Italy, Sweden and the European Commission in endorsing binding targets even before the summit began.
And he made clear there was no room for failure to agree, if the rest of the developed world was to be expected to join the new green revolution.
He said the agreement was a matter of �pride� for Britain because it had set the process in motion.
�This agenda very much grows out of what we tried to do in our G8 presidency in 2005 and in our presidency of the EU in the latter half of 2005, where we put energy policy really on the agenda for the European Union,� he said.
�Therefore it is tremendous to think that 18 months later we have what I think is a historic summit on this issue.�
Mr Blair said securing the 20 per cent reduction in administrative burden had also been a �priority� for the UK.
He told journalists: �These are a set of groundbreaking, bold and ambitious targets for the European Union. They will require an immense amount of work for Europe to secure this.
David Frost, Director-General of the British Chambers of Commerce, welcomed the pledge to reduce carbon emissions as "a major turning point" but insisted it was essential for non-European countries to share the burden of tackling climate change.
"Businesses agree that action needs to be taken but we need to make sure that this does not result in more regulation and UK and European businesses do not bear the costs alone in reducing carbon emissions," he said.
"Businesses, such as our members, are aware of the issue of climate change and are taking the initiative in implementing energy efficient policies. The BCC expects clear guidelines on how the 20 per cent target can be achieved. If a true shift towards rising to the challenge of climate change is to be achieved then other nations such as the US, India and China must come on board."