Community strategy for global climate change conference
The Council of the EU finalized, on 16 October 1997, the Community's strategy on climate change, in advance of the UN conference on climate change, to be held in Kyoto, Japan, in December 1997. The approach established at recent Environment Councils was continued, with ministers confirming the EU's position at the conference and agreeing modalities to meet the Community's obligations. The Member States reconfirmed the targets for greenhouse gas reductions which they agreed on in June 1997, and called for other industrialized countries to match the EU's targets. These targets call for a reduction - of 7.5% by 2005, and 15% by 2010 (from 1990 levels) - of emissions of a basket of greenhouse gases in industrialized countries. To meet these targets within the Community, the Ministers agreed to take action both at national level and at European level, to reach targets set for the Community overall. In calling for other industrialized countries to match the targets set by the EU, Ministers noted that their targets were both technically and economically feasible, although only if European commitments were matched by major industrial competitors. The Environment Ministers confirmed their wish to see the conference adopt a legally binding protocol setting out targets, as well as policies and measures aimed at reducing emissions of greenhouse gases within a fixed time limit.