Thursday, March 13, 2008

Climate set to dominate EU summit

Climate change, energy security and reform are set to dominate the European Union's summit in Brussels. The momentum cannot be allowed to slip.

Brussels 13 March 2008. The EU seeks to lead global efforts to cut the production of greenhouse gases and has pledged serious reductions. On hand to stiffen the 27 leaders' resolve will be a report from the EU's foreign policy chief Javier Solana.
The report maps out the impact of rising temperatures and predicts mass migration from Africa and the Middle East to Europe from the year 2020. The two-day summit will try to work out how to implement a 20% reduction in CO2 by 2020 compared to 1990 levels. That target was set last year, and now many EU leaders warn that time is of the essence if the bloc wants to take a lead in international negotiations.

"The momentum cannot be allowed to slip. The timing of an agreement is critical to its success," European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said on the eve of the summit. More >>>