Its plan may be flawed, but at least Europe is taking action.
What is the US willing to do? Its leaders say Europe's new plan
to fight global warming will cost its citizens only an extra
$4.35 per week. If true, what will they get for that burden?
Leadership on climate change. Less dependence on foreign oil.
And perhaps a jump in developing "green" technologies. In an
announcement yesterday (see story, Page 1), the European
Commission said it aims to tighten the provisions of its three-
year-old Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS). That would enable
Europe to reach its goal of reducing carbon emissions to 20
percent below 1990 levels by 2020. The plan will also nearly
triple electricity generated by renewable sources (wind, solar,
etc.) from 8.5 percent today to 20 percent and mandate that
biofuels (made from corn, sugar cane, etc.) make up 10 percent
of vehicle fuels by 2020. The ETS employs a so-called cap-and-
trade plan that allows industries to buy and sell permits to
emit greenhouse gases, which scientists say