The EU-25 ministers for the environment went beyond the commission's proposals by setting ambitious reduction targets: 15-30% reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2020 and 60-80% by 2050. Under the Kyoto Protocol, the EU had committed itself to reduce emissions by 8% between 2008-2012, compared to the 1990 baseline.
The Council, however, formulated this in a rather non-binding manner: "Without prejudging new approaches for differentiation between Parties in a future fair and flexible framework, the EU looks forward to exploring with other Parties possible strategies for achieving necessary emission reductions and believes that, in this context, reduction pathways by the group of developed countries in the order of 15-30% by 2020 and 60-80% by 2050 compared to the base line envisaged in the Kyoto Protocol should be considered," the text reads.
The ministers made clear that a global approach is needed which includes cooperation with big industrialised countries that have opted out of Kyoto, as well as with new emerging economic powers such as China and India.
The Council also invited the Commission to continue studies on costs and benefits (including of non-action) and to look at the competitiveness aspects of the new strategy.
