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EU leaders agree deadline to climate change talks

14/03/2008

European leaders have reaffirmed their commitment to fighting climate change by agreeing a deadline for the end of talks regarding emission targets.

At a summit in Brussels today, the 27 heads of states reaffirmed their commitment to cutting carbon dioxide emissions by 20 per cent by 2020, compared to the 1990 levels.

They set the end of this year as the deadline for wrapping up negotiations on the climate change plan.

"We committed ourselves to finishing negotiating on this package by the end of this year and by doing this we made a huge step forward," said Slovenian prime minister Janez Jansa, whose country currently holds the EU presidency.

It was declared at the summit that while the climate targets were necessary, they should be introduced so as to "avoid excessive costs for member states".

To achieve the 2020 targets EU states are obliged to make renewable energies, such as wind and solar power, the source of 20 percent of the total energy consumption across Europe by the twelve year deadline.

Currently the level of renewable energy across the countries stands at just six to seven per cent.

Biofuels should also make up 10 per cent of total vehicle fuel in Europe by 2020.