by Agence France-Presse

BRUSSELS - The United States must do more to tackle climate change, the E.U. presidency said Wednesday, in a challenge to President Barack Obama ahead of a key international summit in Pittsburgh.

“I hope to speed up the talks all over the climate issue,” Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt said in online comments, the day before a E.U. summit in Brussels.

While acknowledging a promise by Japan’s incoming prime minister, Yukio Hatoyama, to target 25 percent cuts in greenhouse gas emissions, Reinfeldt has been less impressed by Washington’s efforts so far.

“We need also clearer signals from the United States on mitigation efforts,” as well as other parts of the developed world, Reinfeldt said.

The European Union prides itself on taking the lead in the battle against climate change, with member states agreeing to make 20 percent cuts in CO2 emissions by 2020 from 1990 levels.

E.U. leaders are seeking a more ambitious global goal at international climate change talks in Copenhagen in December, and are ready to commit to 30 percent cuts if the rest of the world does likewise to attain the overall goal of[...]

[Published in GreenNews - Read the original article]