Greenhouse gas emissions drop brings EU near 2020 target

The European Union's environment agency says the bloc's greenhouse gas emissions dropped by nearly 2 per cent last year, putting the EU very close to reaching its emissions target for 2020.

That goal is to reduce emissions of CO2 and other greenhouse gases by 20 per cent compared to 1990 levels.

The European Environment Agency said Tuesday that emissions already have fallen 19 per cent, meaning the 28-nation bloc is likely to achieve a larger reduction than it aimed for.

The EEA projected that 2020 emissions will be 21 per cent or 24 percent lower than they were in 1990, depending on whether planned climate action is implemented in full.

However, some countries weren't on track to meet their individual targets through domestic action, including Germany and Spain.

Most scientists agree the greenhouse gas emissions resulting from the burning of fossil fuels and deforestation are the main cause of climate change.

The EEA said the EU as a whole also was on track to meet its goals on getting 20 per cent of its energy from renewable sources such as wind, solar and hydropower by 2020, and of improving energy efficiency by 20 per cent.

Nine member states — Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Greece, Hungary, Romania, Slovakia and Britain — are on track to meet targets for all three climate and energy policy objectives.

Just last week the EU set new goals for 2030: 40 per cent emissions cuts, 27 per cent renewables and a 27 per cent reduction in energy consumption.

"The current projections for 2030 indicate that further efforts are required at national and EU level to keep the EU on track toward its new 2030 targets," the EEA said.