ISSUES

EU Policy

Europe became the world leader in tackling climate change in March 2007, when 27 governments agreed to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 20%, (and 30 per cent if other industrialised countries will take action) by 2020 It also commits the EU to generating a fifth of its energy from renewable sources within 13 years.

Greenpeace praised it as the biggest decision taken to fight global warming since the Kyoto protocol 10 years ago. European leaders said it was a historic pact

Germany's chancellor, Angela Merkel, was praised for steering it through despite opposition from France and eastern Europe. Ms Merkel is due to host a summit in June of leading industrial countries at which she will seek to persuade the US, China, India, and others to follow Europe's example.

A two-day EU summit boosted the outgoing French president, Jacques Chirac, and Tony Blair by recognising nuclear power as one way of reducing emissions.

It also introduced the possibility that millions of homes will have to change from filament light bulbs to more energy-efficient light bulbs by moving to ban traditional bulbs by 2009. The European commission is starting work immediately on a summit demand to produce proposals to trigger a wholesale switch to modern low-energy fluorescent light bulbs.

For more visit New Scientist