EU environment ministers calls for climate goals

Environment ministers within the European Union (EU) have called for climate targets to be implemented within member states.

It is hoped that by creating a low carbon economy by the year 2030, this will help to spur investment.

On Monday October 28th, a 40-page document was handed out at a green growth conference within Brussels about the implementation of the energy and climate goals that have been described as "ambitious". It added that the Emissions Trading System within the EU, which is the main tool for implementing climate change, should be reformed and a strict cut in emissions should be pledged at a climate summit in the autumn of next year.

UN secretary general Ban Ki-Moon has put governments under pressure to offer large cuts in emissions by the time the summit is hosted, with a means to achieving a global climate deal.

In addition to the environment ministers, who dismissed claims that green energy subsidies are the reason for rising bills within the UK, businesses such as Coca Cola Enterprises and Shell joined the call for action.

The EU has met targets set for 2020 to cut the level of greenhouse gases seen during 1990 by 20 per cent, which is due in part to a shift towards solar and wind power and a lower demand for energy following the recession.

Proposals for the new 2030 goal are due to be unveiled towards the end of 2013, with some sources saying that the European Commission hopes to see domestic emissions reduced by 40 per cent compared to the levels seen in 1990.

In a statement, UK energy and climate secretary Ed Davey said: "Businesses and investors are telling us that the EU needs to get its act together ... only then will investors have the confidence to put the billions into low carbon that we need."

Last week, British officials warned the EU that emissions must be cut by 50 per cent by the year 2030 to avoid the worst effects of climate change.