EU close to its 2020 green house emission target: data

Data released by the Eurostat on Wednesday showed that the European Union (EU) is close to its 2020 target of cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 20 percent compared to 1990.

The statistical office of the European Union said greenhouse gas emissions at EU level were 17.9 percent below 1990 levels and the EU is now confident of achieving its Europe 2020 target.

Energy, transport and increased human intervention in the environment have proven to be major contributors to climate change over the last few decades.

The Eurostat said date showed that while primary consumption of energy stood in 2013 at its early 1990s level, renewables have increased their share in final energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions decreased over the same time period.

As to the member states, Germany, United Kingdom, France, Italy, Poland and Spain are the biggest green house gas emitters. While the Baltic EU Member States and Romania become the largest reductions in greenhouse gas emissions over the past 25 years.

According to the Eurostat, twenty Member States have already reached their Europe 2020 targets on energy consumption, while only four out of the 28 EU Member States have reached their Europe 2020 goal on renewables. Endit