The Government is fully committed to the EU position in the international negotiations on a global climate agreement. The EU position is that developed countries should take the lead in action to address climate change by committing to collectively reducing their emissions in the order of 30% by 2020 compared to 1990. In this context, the European Council has endorsed an EU objective of a 30% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2020 compared to 1990, as its contribution to a global and comprehensive agreement for the period beyond 2012, provided that other developed countries commit themselves to comparable emissions reduction and that economically more advanced developing countries contribute adequately according to their responsibilities and respective capabilities. In this context, the EU has called on all developed countries to propose, not later than mid-2009, economy-wide medium-term targets that involve a comparable level of effort.
Notwithstanding this international position, the European Council is committed to transforming Europe into a highly energy-efficient and low greenhouse-gas-emitting economy, and has decided, without prejudice to its position in international negotiations, to make a firm, independent commitment to achieve at least a 20% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2020 compared to 1990. The adjustment to the higher target as part of an international climate agreement needs to be built explicitly into the climate legislative proposals.