EU leaders face climate challenge

European leaders are expected to commit their countries to tough new emissions targets at a European Union summit focused on tackling global warming.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who will chair the summit, says Europe must lead the fight against climate change. In Brussels, EU leaders are expected to commit to cutting carbon emissions by 20% by 2020 compared to 1990 levels. But how this burden will be shared is still subject to argument, as are plans to set renewable energy targets.

In the space of little over a year, climate change and what to do about it has shot to the top of the EU's agenda, says the BBC's Jonny Dymond in Brussels. Across Europe leaders have been stressing the urgency of action - but now they have to make good on all the talk, he says.

'Not easy'

Mrs Merkel said that if EU leaders approved ambitious targets, it would step up the pressure on other countries to follow their lead.

At a G8 summit later in the year, which she will lead, she said she would be able to say: "Europe has taken an important step of its own and now others - the USA, China, India and the major developing countries - naturally must follow."

It is thought EU leaders may agree to a deeper cut of 30% in emissions by 2020 if other developed and emerging nations, notably the US, India and China, join in.

"It won't be easy, but that's why the EU should make commitments now and take this pioneering position," Ms Merkel told Britain's Financial Times newspaper.

BBC