EU Commission Proposes 30% GHG Cut; France & Germany Offer Frosty Response - AFP

[hatrack]

France and Germany on Tuesday gave a frosty response to the EU Commission's suggestion that Europe unilaterally bind itself to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 30 percent by 2020.

The message from German Economy Minister Rainer Bruederle and France's Industry Minister Christian Estrosi came on the eve of the publication of a commission paper laying out reasons for deepening Europe's emission cuts from 20 percent, the current agreed rate, to 30 percent compared with 1990 levels. "We have shared our concerns at the commission's proposal," said Estrosi. "The European Union is ready to adopt the 30 percent figure if other major economies make comparable undertakings," the French minister added.

Until now Europe has agreed only to cut emissions by 20 percent by 2020. The offer for a 30 percent reduction has been dependent upon similar undertakings by other large industrialised nations.

The EU's conditional 30 percent offer was put on the table, but not accepted, at last December's world climate talks in Copenhagen. "We have the same analysis," Bruederle said at a joint press conference. "We believe that after the failure of the Copenhagen summit, we must give ourselves a bit more time" before offering any further unilateral cuts in emissions, he added.

EDIT

http://www.terradaily.com/reports/Paris_Berlin_pour_cold_water_on_EU_climate_proposals_999.html