Tina Birbili (photo) was one of seven European Union environment ministers to petition Brussels to deepen cuts to greenhouse gases beyond the current 20 percent target by the end of this decade.
Such cuts would not only help protect the climate but would also shelter Europe from future spikes in the price of oil, said a joint statement from the ministers, among them those of Greece, Britain, Germany, Spain and Sweden.
“This is about creating a new economy in Europe,” said Chris Huhne, Britain’s secretary of state for energy and climate. “We need to get the carbon price up and send clear investment signals to industry.”
The statement came at a meeting of the EU’s 27 environment ministers in Brussels on March 14 and one week after EU climate commissioner Connie Hedegaard laid out a strategy showing a low cost route to 25 percent emissions cuts in 2020.
“The Commission’s roadmap demonstrates ... that we already have the tools and policies to cut emissions by 25 percent domestically,” the ministers’ statement said.
“The case to move to a 30 percent target by 2020 is now stronger as a result.”
Europe is deeply divided over the wisdom of deepening emissions cuts in the current economic crisis, with some big industries such as steelmakers fearing the added costs will push them out of business.
Other industries say continued reliance on costly imports of fossil fuel is a bigger threat to the economy.
“It will increase the continent’s resilience against oil price spikes and reduce its dependence on imported energy,” said the ministers’ statement. “And it will help Europe compete with emerging economies in the fast-growing markets for green goods and services.”
It was not immediately clear, however, whether the statement had full government backing in countries such as Germany, where not all government departments see eye-to-eye on the issue.
source: REUTERS
