Environment ministers thrash out climate position

The EU’s environment ministers are in for a hot week as they set out to analyse Europe’s negotiating position on climate change.

Their are building towards a global pact to replace the Kyoto protocol with tough pledges to cut greenhouses gases.

The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in Bonn last week saw little movement from industrialised countries towards proposed emissions target 25-40% below 1990 levels.

The EU has committed to 20 percent less by 2020, and is ready to go further if others also make ambitious cuts, such as major developing nations like China and India.

The leaders are having to offset their climate pledge responsibilities with anti-recession policies. The new US willingness to lead got a cautious welcome from the EU at talks one week ago in Prague.

Europe wants to ensure the success of UN talks in Copenhagen in December.

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tags: Climate, Environment