EU ends biofuels debate

The European Union has agreed on a series of ways to promote green energy after resolving a long-running battle over biofuels. But Italy would not drop its demand to review the legislation in 2014, preventing the European Union from signing off on a deal to get 20% of the bloc’s energy from renewable sources by 2020. The green energy laws are a major part of an EU package to fight climate change, which it hopes will help spur a global deal with other big emitters like China and the United States. Until recently, debate over biofuels had been deadlocked, holding back other measures to promote wind farms, solar power and energy from tides. The EU’s overall target of getting 20% of energy from renewable sources by 2020 was firmed up and member states will now have to roll out detailed road maps on how to reach their national targets for green energy. (December 5, 2008)

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