United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon Friday welcomed a European Union agreement to curb greenhouse-gas emissions and increase renewable energy use, reported dpa. While leaving key details to be settled later, leaders of the 27- nation bloc agreed to make a unilateral cut of 20 per cut in greenhouse gas emissions by 2020 compared to 1990 levels. They also agreed on a breakthrough mandatory 20 per cent increase in the share of renewable energy in overall EU consumption by 2020. Ban said in a statement that the agreement raises hope for future progress on reducing global warming. "In the face of rising greenhouse gas emissions, committing to a substantial decrease for the next decade is ambitious," Ban said. "But ambition and leadership are just what is needed to respond to climate change, one of the greatest challenges facing humankind."
