Energy Saving News
EU Want To Make "Rapid" Moves Towards CO2 Cuts
Europe's leading environment ministers are on the verge of making 'rapid and efficient' moves towards reducing CO2 emissions.
At a recent meeting held in Spain, as the Spanish president is the EU's current president, discussions took place regarding climate change and how to reach targets, following the disappointing outcome of the climate summit in Copenhagen last month.
Reducing carbon emissions is currently at the top of the list, with methods and measures to curb the trends being continually discussed. The most effective and cost-effective way to reduce carbon emissions is to save energy, according to Mark Sinden, Council Member of the Energy Saving Association (ESA).
"By reducing energy consumption, which is too high globaly due to inefficient equipment and installations, we can achieve a real reduction in carbon emissions and achieve a beneficial impact on the environment, while saving money on increasingly high energy bills, " he said.
Spanish secretary for climate change, Teresa Ribera, spoke upon closure of the meeting (Informal Council of Environment Ministers EU) last night, and said that ministers were expressing a shared "will" to consolidate a "rapid and efficient" action to fight climate change.
Mrs. Ribera stressed the point of 'comparability of efforts' in the reduction of harmful emissions, highlighting that the figures of 20 and 30% reduction, mentioned on various occasions, are among the EU's targets in this field.
The EU's Permanent Representatives Committee (COREPER) will be deciding whether the EU will cut its emissions by 30% now, or whether the known figure of 20% will be adhered to for the foreseeable future.
Mrs. Ribera further stated that Europe is aiming to achieve a 30% reduction in carbon emissions, from1990 levels, by 2020 on the condition that other countries also take similar actions.
The Spanish secretary insisted that improvements have been accomplished in environmental 'governance', enabling rational, efficient use of resources: "we must now work to make the Copenhagen Accord a reality", with sights set on the next climate conference in Mexico at the end of the year.
Monday 18th January 2010
