EU discusses ways to deal with climate change and Ebola pandemic
On October 23, the European Union (EU) began a two-day summit in Brussels (Belgium) to discuss relations with Russia and providing financial support to Ukraine. However, the crisis in Ukraine is not the main topic, EU leaders will focus on discussing a package of measures to combat climate change and deal with the Ebola epidemic.
On October 23, the European Union (EU) began a two-day summit in Brussels (Belgium) to discuss relations with Russia and providing financial support to Ukraine. However, the crisis in Ukraine is not the main topic, EU leaders will focus on discussing a package of measures to combat climate change and deal with the Ebola epidemic.
The main goal of the summit is to find consensus on an ambitious package of measures to combat climate change by 2030, although EU leaders remain divided on how to share the burden among member states.
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| European Union leaders attend the summit. (Source: AFP/VNA) |
According to the French news agency AFP, the EU plans to set a target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 40% by 2030 compared to 1990 levels, bringing renewable energy to 27% of energy use and aiming for 30% energy savings.
The EU wants the renewable energy target to be binding on all members, but there has been fierce disagreement over the issue, particularly from countries like Poland and Portugal.
A German government source said there were still difficult issues to resolve and leaders would have to consider whether success was possible. Other European sources were more optimistic, saying that while there were still issues on which there was little consensus, differences had narrowed.
Observers say it will be easier for EU leaders to reach consensus on actions to deal with the Ebola epidemic raging in West Africa, a disease that has claimed the lives of 4,900 people and is at risk of spreading globally if the international community does not have effective countermeasures.
EU member states and the European Commission (EC) have pledged nearly 600 million euros ($750 million) to fight the Ebola epidemic. British Prime Minister David Cameron is expected to call on EU leaders to agree to increase this amount to 1 billion euros ($1.3 billion).
Also at this meeting, EU leaders will assess the implementation of the Minsk agreement on resolving the Ukraine crisis; discuss threats from the self-proclaimed Islamic State (IS) in Iraq and Syria, especially the danger from Europeans who participate in jihadist movements abroad when returning home./.
According to VNA
