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| EU leaders reach new climate deal | EU leaders reach new climate deal |
| (9 minutes later) | |
| European Union leaders have reached a deal on a package of measures to fight global warming. | European Union leaders have reached a deal on a package of measures to fight global warming. |
| The plan, agreed at a Brussels summit, sets out how 27 member-countries will cut carbon emissions by 20% by 2020, compared with 1990 levels. | The plan, agreed at a Brussels summit, sets out how 27 member-countries will cut carbon emissions by 20% by 2020, compared with 1990 levels. |
| French President Nicolas Sarkozy, the summit chairman, said something "quite historic" had happened in Brussels. | French President Nicolas Sarkozy, the summit chairman, said something "quite historic" had happened in Brussels. |
| But critics said concessions made to some nations and sectors would lessen the package's long-term impact. | But critics said concessions made to some nations and sectors would lessen the package's long-term impact. |
| Scientists say carbon dioxide emissions need to be cut by 25-40% by 2020 for there to be a reasonable chance of avoiding dangerous climate change. | Scientists say carbon dioxide emissions need to be cut by 25-40% by 2020 for there to be a reasonable chance of avoiding dangerous climate change. |
| In other developments: | In other developments: |
| • EU leaders agreed an economic recovery package worth 200bn euros (£180bn) to ease the economic downturn | • EU leaders agreed an economic recovery package worth 200bn euros (£180bn) to ease the economic downturn |
| • A deal was reached on concessions enabling the Irish Republic to hold a second referendum on the Lisbon Treaty, which aims to streamline EU decision-making | • A deal was reached on concessions enabling the Irish Republic to hold a second referendum on the Lisbon Treaty, which aims to streamline EU decision-making |
| 'Credibility test' | 'Credibility test' |
| EU leaders have been discussing the so-called "20/20/20" package to tackle climate change and concessions to limit its impact on struggling industries. | EU leaders have been discussing the so-called "20/20/20" package to tackle climate change and concessions to limit its impact on struggling industries. |
| EU 20/20/20 TARGETS 20% cut in greenhouse gas emissions by 2020, compared with 1990 levels20% increase in use of renewable energy by 202020% cut in energy consumption through improved energy efficiency by 2020 EU climate package explainedCalifornia adopts emissions planBrown hails EU recovery packageIreland confirms EU vote plan | EU 20/20/20 TARGETS 20% cut in greenhouse gas emissions by 2020, compared with 1990 levels20% increase in use of renewable energy by 202020% cut in energy consumption through improved energy efficiency by 2020 EU climate package explainedCalifornia adopts emissions planBrown hails EU recovery packageIreland confirms EU vote plan |
| The measures, which also require approval by the European Parliament to become law, commit the EU to cutting carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by 20% by 2020. | The measures, which also require approval by the European Parliament to become law, commit the EU to cutting carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by 20% by 2020. |
| It must also raise renewable sources to 20% of total energy use and achieve a 20% cut in energy use. | It must also raise renewable sources to 20% of total energy use and achieve a 20% cut in energy use. |
| EU Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso called the plans "the most ambitious proposals anywhere in the world". | EU Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso called the plans "the most ambitious proposals anywhere in the world". |
| "Europe has today passed its credibility test. We mean business when we talk about climate," he said, appealing to US President-elect Barack Obama to follow Europe's lead. | "Europe has today passed its credibility test. We mean business when we talk about climate," he said, appealing to US President-elect Barack Obama to follow Europe's lead. |
| But critics said the package - which includes concessions to heavy industry and Eastern European countries worried that pollution cuts will harm their economic growth - did not go far enough. | But critics said the package - which includes concessions to heavy industry and Eastern European countries worried that pollution cuts will harm their economic growth - did not go far enough. |
| "This is a flagship EU policy with no captain, a mutinous crew and several gaping holes in it," said Sanjeev Kumar of WWF. | "This is a flagship EU policy with no captain, a mutinous crew and several gaping holes in it," said Sanjeev Kumar of WWF. |
| 'Act of leadership' | 'Act of leadership' |
| At the same time, a UN climate conference has been taking place in Poznan, Poland, where former US presidential candidate John Kerry said the United States was set to lead the world towards a new climate deal. class="lp" href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/talking_point/default.stm">HAVE YOUR SAYI am highly dissatisfied with the way politicians deal with climate change.Peter, Denmark class="" href="http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?forumID=5801">Send us your comments | |
| Mr Kerry, who is representing Mr Obama, described the EU deal as "an enormous act of leadership" that would have an impact on talks about a future global pact. | Mr Kerry, who is representing Mr Obama, described the EU deal as "an enormous act of leadership" that would have an impact on talks about a future global pact. |
| If the rest of the world agrees to a new UN climate deal next year, the EU says it is prepared to go further, cutting emissions by 30%. | If the rest of the world agrees to a new UN climate deal next year, the EU says it is prepared to go further, cutting emissions by 30%. |
| That EU leaders have agreed they can meet the promised 20% target is good, says the BBC's environment analyst, Roger Harrabin, because without it there would be no global deal. | That EU leaders have agreed they can meet the promised 20% target is good, says the BBC's environment analyst, Roger Harrabin, because without it there would be no global deal. |
| But the concessions that the EU has made to industries because of the recession will make it very, very difficult to achieve the 30% figure that scientists say is really needed, our correspondent says. | But the concessions that the EU has made to industries because of the recession will make it very, very difficult to achieve the 30% figure that scientists say is really needed, our correspondent says. |