The European Commission has surprised EU members with a new plan to combat global warming that will commit the EU to the most ambitious targets in the world.
Targets are based on a achieving a percentage reduction in emissions compared to 1990 levels, by 2020. The current target is a 20% reduction compared to 1990 but this is now to be increased to 30%, according to a draft communication leaked to The Times.
The Commission is arguing that meeting the 20 per cent target has been much easier because of the recession, as the EU’s emissions fell by 10 per cent last year due to factories closing or reducing production. This will be a unilateral act by the EU, following the failure of the Copenhagen climate summit.
The new targets are expected to add an extra £33bn a year on top of the £48bn already budgeted for meeting the earlier targets.
Source: The Times