Give a Hoot, Don't Dilute (Merkel urges EU not to water down climate goals)

[marmar]

Agence France-Presse, via Grist Magazine:



Give a Hoot, Don't Dilute
Germany's chancellor stands up for EU goals
Posted at 1:36 PM on 26 Nov 2008


BERLIN, Nov 26 -- German Chancellor Angela Merkel urged the EU Wednesday not to water down its climate protection goals in the face of a global recession and called for a worldwide deal on slashing CO2 emissions.

"I say here very clearly that I do not believe it would be right to sacrifice the well-founded climate goals of the European Union," Merkel told parliament during a debate on the federal budget.

The EU has fixed an ambitious triple objective for itself to achieve by 2020 the so-called 20-20-20 goals: a 20 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from 1990 levels, bringing renewable energy use up to 20 percent of the total, and an overall cut of 20 percent in energy use.

Merkel originally launched the climate change/energy plan during Germany's EU presidency last year.

"That was our goal and that remains our goal," Merkel said.

A compromise on a binding deal may be reached on the issue during an EU summit in Brussels in mid-December. .......(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.grist.org/news/2008/11/26/merkel/