Sweden plans to reduce its greenhouse emissions by at least 30 percent by 2020, setting a more ambitious target than the 20 percent cuts agreed by the European Union, AP quoted the governmental sources as saying Tuesday. Environment Minister Andreas Carlgren said Sweden had pushed for EU-wide cuts of 30 percent by 2020, and aims to stick to that goal even though the 27 EU members set a lower target earlier this year. «It is out of the question that we, who have worked so hard for the higher ambition within the EU, would accept a lower ambition on our own part at home,» Carlgren said in an interview with the Svenska Dagbladet newspaper. The center-right government, which took office in October, will present the plan to lawmakers in the second half of 2008, he said. In March, the 27 EU members agreed to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 20 percent below 1990 levels by 2020 _ building on the Kyoto Protocol which runs through 2012 _ and by 30 percent if a broader international agreement can be reached. Sweden is among the few European countries on track to meet their emissions cuts under Kyoto. Carlgren's spokesman Tomas Uddin said that while Sweden is already doing a lot to reduce its emissions, the 30 percent target could mean lowering the emissions ceiling for Swedish industries.
