European Union governments agreed in principal to set ambitious goals to curb greenhouse gases in an effort to combat global warming. The 27 nations' environmental ministers on Tuesday decided on a goal of cutting carbon dioxide emissions 20% by 2020.
EU environment ministers will meet Thursday to discuss how each country can reach individual 20% targets, with the possibility of structuring a compromise to share the burden of the target between nations.
German Environment Minister Sigmar Gabriel told a new conference that the ministers also agreed to support a goal of cutting greenhouse gas emissions globally 30% by 2012 - but the EU would call for other industrialized nations to meet the European commitment to emissions reductions. The Associated Press reported that the 30% cut referred to 1990 levels.