24 Oct (NucNet): European Union leaders have agreed what they called “a landmark deal” on climate change, with a commitment by 2030 to a 40 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from 1990 levels.
They also agreed to increase the use of renewable energy to 27 percent and increase energy efficiency to at least 27 percent.
European Council president Herman van Rompuy said the deal was both “ambitious and balanced”.
European Commission president José Manuel Barroso said the deal was vital for energy security. He said the 2030 package is “very good news for our fight against climate change” and that no player in the world is as ambitious as the European Union when it comes to cutting greenhouse gas emissions.
“By cutting our emissions, increasing renewables to at least 27 percent and saving energy, we reduce our dependency on imported fossil fuels from unstable or unreliable suppliers,” he said.
