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21 February 2007 - European Union (EU) environment ministers made a legally binding agreement on Tuesday to cut overall carbon dioxide emissions 20 per cent by 2020, and they are ready to go to 30 per cent if other industrialized nations match European efforts to curb global warming.
The EU's 27 nations are still to agree what each should do to meet a 20 per cent target for the entire bloc, with Finland, Spain and Denmark calling on other nations to share the burden.
Germany has already agreed to reduce emissions by 40 per cent, while other nations, such as former Soviet bloc countries in eastern Europe would face lesser reductions as their economies grow and they try to clean up heavy polluting industries and generate more power from lower-carbon sources.
European countries will try to see if other nations will go further when it meets G-8 nations - the USA, Russia, Japan and Canada - in the German resort of Heiligendamm June 6-8. They will also seek carbon dioxide cuts from the emerging economies of Brazil, China, India, Mexico and South Africa.
Talks will continue, covering other EU initiatives, including a mandatory limit on carbon emissions from cars and whether to include aviation in the EU's emissions trading program.
Gabriel said environment ministers would revisit an attempt by energy ministers to fix a binding 20 per cent target for all energy to be generated from renewable sources by 2020, but said he did not expect a final decision.
EU leaders meet in March to fix Europe's general strategy to turn itself into a low-carbon economy, weaning itself off imported oil and natural gas, cutting energy consumption and doing more to combat climate change.
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