BELGIUM: EU seeks to narrow differences on climate plan.

European Union (EU) Foreign Ministers arrive for meeting to discuss whether to accept a binding target on renewable energy. Opponents of a German plan to set binding European Union targets for the use of "green fuels" dug their heels in later at the talks leaving EU leaders to grapple with the issue at a summit later this week. EU foreign ministers sought on Monday (March 5) to narrow differences on how to promote an EU ambition to lead the world in tackling climate change, but some countries remained wary of agreeing targets for renewable energy sources such as solar and wind power. They will be discussing whether or not to adopt a commission proposal to accept a binding target of 20 percent on renewable energy at the upcoming summit of heads of state as part of an ambitious plan to fight climate change. France and some 10 other countries, including several in central Europe, are wary of binding targets that would impinge on their national energy strategies. Diplomats say the foreign ministers are unlikely to resolve the most contentious issue of the binding target, yet German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, representing the EU presidency, said Germany's wish was to make the target of 20 percent binding. "I personally believe that we should reach agreement on a 20 percent target here as to renewables but if you expect something like a forecast from me here and now I would say that I think we will move closer, we will achieve a raprochement of the various positions by member states but we will also have to discuss a number of proposals by a number of member states today but I think the question of 20 per cent target will continue to be on the agenda for the council later this week." Steinmeier said. The EU aspires to lead the world in the fight against global warming by adopting a unilateral commitment to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases by 20 percent, rising to 30 percent if other major industrialised and emerging powers join in. But the legally binding nature of that pledge remains in doubt with many countries seeking wiggle room. The latest version of the draft summit communique, obtained by Reuters, says: "The EU makes a firm independent commitment to achieve at least a 20 percent reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by 2020 compared to 1990 levels." That appears to falls short of mandatory force. Luxembourg Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn said the EU should aim for something stronger than vague guidelines. "If the requirements are drafted in such a way that they are in the form of guidelines that we should respect, that is good. But I am personally in favour of clearer requirements," he said. Austrian Foreign Minister Ursula Plassnik said it was time for Europe to adopt better and stronger targets. "I hope so, I hope so because I think the European Union is a learning organisation, Europe has to become greener, incredibly so, so benchmarking and setting ourselves goals and ambitions, explicitly is a reasonable instrument, a reasonable tool to achieve such an end." Asked if that meant binding targets, Plassnik said: "Yes, yes, yes." The German EU presidency wants the summit on Thursday and Friday to set a binding target for renewable energy sources such as solar, wind and hydro-electric power by 2020 -- not just a declaration of intent to reach 20 percent. British officials have signalled that Prime Minister Tony Blair has dropped resistance to a binding target. Some EU diplomats said they expect French President Jacques Chirac to yield in exchange for a recognition that France's nuclear power programme helps cut carbon dioxide emissions. A possible compromise, diplomats said, could be to make the 20 percent target binding on the EU as a whole but not on individual states, with burden-sharing to be negotiated later. The ministers were also due to discuss crises in Darfur, the Middle East and Iran's nuclear programme. They are expected to urge the United Nations to consider tightening sanctions on Sudan over Darfur and pledge funds to help create a joint African Union-U.N. peace force. On the Middle East, they are expected to reiterate a willingness to work with a new Palestinian national unity government provided it adopts an acceptable platform.

ITN Source | March 5, 2007

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