EU to Present Far-Reaching Plan Against Climate Change

The European Commission will on Wednesday, Jan. 23, unveil sweeping plans to fight global warming, under heavy fire from industry and many EU member countries over the possible costs of the scheme.

Consumers too will not escape the costs, which Commission chief Jose Manuel Barroso said would amount to a total of around 60 billion euros ($86.6 billion) a year — 0.5 percent of gross domestic product. Commission officials, however, have said the bill might be double that.

The package is an attempt by the EU executive to translate into action the aim of EU leaders, announced last March, to cut emissions of the gases that cause climate change by 20 percent by 2020, compared to 1990 levels.

The measures, including a new look at state aid for environment projects, will set the 27 nations specific targets for renewable energy use, to ensure that 20 percent of the bloc’s energy in 2020 comes from these forms.

The commission has come under attack from virtually all sides, including in-house, even before the plans are examined by EU countries and the European Parliament, a process Brussels hopes to conclude by the end of the year.

“These proposals are going to raise electricity prices for households and enterprises,” said EU Commission Vice-President Gunter Verheugen from Germany. “This has to be openly said to citizens.”

Deutsche Welle