The European Union’s proposed goal of reducing greenhouse gases 20% below 1990 levels by 2020, may be reduced or even derailed by heads of state who fear their countries’ economies are in no position to lead the fight against climage change.
Yesterday, Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi threated to veto the EU’s climate change plans, adding support to a group of Eastern European nations, led by Poland, who say the deep cuts in greenhouse gases will be too costly to their economies, which rely heavily on coal-fired power.
"I have announced my intention to exercise my veto," the Italian Prime Minister said at the EU summit in Brussels. "Our businesses are in absolutely no position at the moment to absorb the costs of the regulations that have been proposed."
The EU plan also includes increasing renewable energy production to 20% of total energy supply by 2020.
"If there will be no other possibility we will take advantage of a veto but it is still unclear whether we will have to do this," Poland Prime Minister Donald Tusk said.
British Prime Minister Gordon Brown and European Commission chief Jose Manuel Barroso, both stressed how important it is that the EU not abandon it’s leadership role in the fight against climate change.
French President Nicolas Sarkozy, who is chairing the summit, urged the two sides to be flexible in attempting to reach an agreement by the end of the year.
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