The 15 "old" members of the European Union are only narrowly on course to meet their Kyoto targets for cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 2010, the European Commission said today.
The so-called EU-15 countries have committed to reducing, between 2008 and 2012, their total emissions of gases linked to global warming to 8 per cent below their level in 1990.
The commission showed that an 8 per cent cut could be achieved in 2010, the Kyoto period's mid-point, provided that all actions planned by EU countries are fully implemented and deliver the emission savings anticipated, the statement said.
But seven of the EU-15 countries project that they will exceed their individual limits, it said.
These seven are expected to get back on track by buying rights to emit greenhouse gases from developing and former communist countries, using carbon trading arrangements allowed under Kyoto.
The full 25-nation bloc, including the 10 mostly Eastern European countries that joined the EU in 2004, could achieve a cut of 10.8 per cent in their emissions in 2010 - compared with 1990 - if they carry out the action plans they have promised.
Without the planned action, cuts are likely to be only 4.6 per cent, the commission said.