Wednesday, February 15, 2012

European Commission To Unveil Energy Policy

An experimental wave-energy power generator in Denmark (file photo) (epa)

January 10, 2007 -- The European Commission is due today to unveil a wide-ranging vision of a common energy policy for the 27-country European Union.

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January 10, 2007

The European Commission, the executive arm of the EU, is expected to present plans aimed at getting EU member countries to further cut their production of greenhouse gases to fight global warming; use more renewable energy, including wind power and biofuels; and curb dependence on foreign suppliers of oil and gas.

Analysts say some EU states are likely to disagree on some expected proposals, such as those calling for more market competition among energy suppliers.

Proposals will need to be approved the EU member states before they can come into effect.

The proposals are being announced amid an oil-transit dispute between Russia and Belarus that has affected energy supplies to some EU member states.

(Reuters, AP)

Global Climate Change

View a photo gallery summarizing some key findings of the Stern report on the economic costs of global warming (epa)

THE STERN REPORT: In October, former World Bank chief economist Sir Nicholas Stern issued a 700-page report on the economic impact of global warming. The report, which was commissioned by the British government, estimates that climate change could cost between 5 and 20 percent of global GDP by the end of the century....(more)