EU Leaders Pledge Climate Funding and Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reductions Seven Times those of US

At the EU summit today, European leaders
re-committed to 30% greenhouse gas emissions reductions compared to
1990 at the upcoming global climate talks in Copenhagen in December.
The EU position stands in dramatic contrast to that of the US which has
so far suggested making reductions of only some 4% below 1990 levels by
2020. European leaders have also backed funding for climate action in
poor countries of up to $75 billion (EUR50 billion) annually by 2020.

"The European commitments raise the stakes for the climate
negotiations," said Damon Moglen, Director of Greenpeace USA's Global
Warming Campaign. "As the country with the greatest historical
responsibility for causing climate change, the US now needs to lead the
way in addressing this problem. Its an embarrassment that while other
countries are developing clean and renewable technology, the US seems
addicted to its fossil fuels and unwilling to enter the clean energy
era. President Obama pledged to lead on climate change, he needs to
bring much more ambitious commitments to the upcoming climate
negotiations."

The Obama Administration has long suggested that the US position for
the climate talks will be based on pending Congressional legislation.
But, with that legislation pending in the Senate, the only bill passed
so far is that passed in the House of Representatives in the summer of
2009. While the international scientific consensus recommends between
25 - 40% emissions reductions below the 1990 baseline, the House bill
only calls for a weak 4% target.