The European Union (EU) is still widely divided over the reduction target of greenhouse gas emissions ahead of this week's summit, where the EU leaders are poised to bargain hard for an agreement on it.
Just a year ago, the 27 EU member states agreed on an ambitious greenhouse gas emissions package at the spring summit, showing to the world their determinations to combat global warming.
The EU leaders pledged last March that greenhouse gas emissions should be reduced by 20 percent by 2020 from the level of 1990, and renewable energy should account for 20 percent of total energy use while biofuels take up 10 percent in fuel consumption.
However, it proved no easy task to attain the ambitious goals. The European Commission presented a detailed plan in January setting out binding targets for each member state. But the proposal was not well received in all EU capitals.
The proposal is destined to be controversial since the emission quotas vary among different member states.
Under the comprehensive plan, Denmark, Ireland and Luxembourg should achieve a 20 percent reduction in emissions by 2020, while a 16 percent reduction for Sweden and Britain, and 14 percent for Germany and France.
Some new EU member states are given a probation. Bulgaria can in fact increase its emissions by 20 percent and Romania by 19 percent.
Before the plan was unveiled, Germany, France, Spain and Austria had voiced concern over emissions quotas.
French President Nicolas Sarkozy argued that his country should not be subject to new emissions targets because it releases little Carbon dioxide (CO2) because of wide use of nuclear power.
The European business sector is also lobbying for less drastic measures, saying higher energy cost would make European firms less competitive in the world.
France, Germany and Romania voiced fear that European companies will move to other regions.
Some energy-thirsty industries like steel, aluminum and refineries are unhappy with the proposed European mechanism, under which pollution permits can be traded. They hope to maintain their rights to emit a certain amount of greenhouse gas without having to pay for that, but it is contrary to the wishes of the European Commission.
Environmentalists, on the other hand, raised questions about the dubious impact of increasing biofuel consumption, saying this could cause more damages to tropical rainforests.
In recent years, more and more countries began to subsidize biofuel production and consumption, contributing to scarcity of food supply in the world. But environmental group Green peace described the EU's goal for biofuels as "a mistake".
European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso admitted "turning Europe into a low-carbon economy is not an easy task."
Barroso said the emissions package cost would amount to 0.5 percent of the EU's GDP by 2020, which corresponds to per capita cost of three euros each week.
Despite doubts and objections, the EU seems adamant to move ahead with its ambitious plan to curb emissions.
The EU leaders recognize that by developing new energy-saving technologies and making the industries "greener", the bloc will find a better way to safeguard energy security and become more competitive globally in the long run.
Barroso said EU states should look at what they are going to get instead of what they are going to lose, expressing hope that EU members will agree on their national emissions target by the year-end, so that the plan can be put into force in 2009.
By getting the ball rolling within the bloc, the EU will assume a stronger position in negotiations with other countries over the formulation of a post-Kyoto global mechanism to tackle climate change.
Source:Xinhua
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