Press Release: Climate change: Member States need to intensify efforts to reach Kyoto emission targets

Latest projections indicate that the 15 States which were EU members before 2004 (EU-15) will only just reach their Kyoto Protocol target for cutting greenhouse gas emissions. The EU-15 are committed to reducing their collective emissions in the 2008-2012 period to 8% below the levels of the base year (1990 in most cases). The Commission's annual progress report shows that an 8% cut can be achieved in 2010 – the period's mid-point – provided that all actions planned by Member States are fully implemented and deliver the emission savings anticipated. Seven EU-15 Member States project that they will exceed their individual emission limits, which are binding under EU law. For the 25 current Member States (EU-25), the overall emission reduction by 2010 would be 10.8%.