The European Union s environment chief said on Monday he will seek a 30 percent cut in EU greenhouse gas emissions by 2020 as the bloc tries to set an example for the world on how to fight global warming. Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas will propose a target for binding cuts in greenhouse gas emissions by 2020 for the EU as part of a wide-ranging set of energy and environmental proposals to be unveiled in January.

Speaking after a meeting of environment ministers on Monday, Dimas said he would support a 30 percent cut, though he declined to say what the formal proposal -- which must be agreed by his fellow commissioners -- would be in the end. "This is what I am going to suggest, but there are a lot of ways to define a 30 percent target," he told reporters.

EU heads of state and government have previously said developed nations should aim to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 15-30 percent by 2020. "I always listen to what the leaders of the European Union tell us to do," he said.

On January 10 the Commission is slated to set out a series of policy options for fighting climate change after 2012, when targets set under the Kyoto Protocol expire. The measures will likely serve as a blueprint for the EU position in international negotiations on a post-Kyoto regime.
(Planet Ark, 19/12/2006)