EU/EU Summit:German chancellor Dr Angela Merkel will present a compromise proposal today aimed at winning the support of EU states for "binding" targets for the use of green energy.
Following talks at a summit in Brussels last night EU leaders moved closer to a deal that would force the EU to make renewable energies, such as solar, wind and wave power, account for 20 per cent of Europe's energy mix by 2020.
Member states had earlier agreed to sanction a wider package of measures to tackle climate change, such as a unilateral 20 per cent cut in EU CO2 emissions by 2020 and the boosting of energy efficiency by 20 per cent by the same date.
But at the meeting a rift emerged between pro- and anti- nuclear states over whether nuclear energy should be taken account of in the attempt to meet the renewables target.
France, Slovakia and the Czech Republic are pushing for a clear reference to the benefits of nuclear energy in helping states reduce their CO2 emissions. However, this is being strongly opposed by Ireland and Austria.
"Our position is that it [ nuclear] is not part of the arrangement," said Minister for Foreign Affairs Dermot Ahern, who reiterated Irish opposition to nuclear energy.
But French president Jacques Chirac, who was attending his last EU summit in Brussels, said he could accept a binding target for the EU as a whole, if it acknowledged nuclear energy, which accounts for 70 per cent of French power. "At the very least, the burden-sharing on renewables must take account of the place of low-carbon energy - nuclear and clean coal - in our national energy choices," he said.
The debate over nuclear energy could have major implications for the way the European Commission shares out the individual targets for renewable energy that member states will have to meet by 2020. If nuclear energy is made a criterion for the burden-sharing formula, then states with nuclear power plants will probably not have to reach the EU-wide target of 20 per cent, said EU diplomats.
A compromise proposal will be presented today to try to bridge the gap between member states, said diplomats. Most expressed confidence a deal could be done.
"I reckon we can still do it, that ambitious goals will be set," said Dr Merkel, who chaired the council as Germany holds the presidency. "Europe can only be the pacesetter on climate change and energy policy if we manage to set ourselves clear targets," said Dr Merkel, who hopes an EU agreement on climate change will persuade other non-EU nations to sign up to binding targets.
Swedish prime minister Fredrik Reinfeldt said the 27 EU leaders had agreed in principle to set a mandatory target for renewable energy, and allocate the burden among member states later.
Earlier, Czech deputy prime minister Alexandr Vondra and Polish president Lech Kaczynski said they opposed binding targets for renewable energy but did not rule out agreeing a compromise.
Business groups have warned that many renewable technologies are not yet proven. "In terms of binding obligations on renewables, nobody has the foggiest idea what the costs can be," said Ernest-Antoine Seillière, president of the Business Europe lobby group.
However, Dr Merkel has staked the EU's credibility on attaining the ambitious target as part of a wider climate change package. She intends to use the measure as the basis of a global deal to tackle climate change, which she will present to other world leaders at a G8 summit in June.