EU must take lead on greenhouse gas reduction, German opposition says

The European Union must set the example in reducing greenhouse gases, a leader of Germany's opposition Greens said Sunday, after G-8 talks on climate change in which the United States objected to parts of the discussion.

"It is the most important obligation of the industrialized nations to lead by their own example - to fundamentally change now the ways we live, produce food, and organize transportation," said Greens leader Renate Kuenast. "Here the EU members must be on the cutting edge."

A three-day conference ended Saturday with a general consensus on most points from members of the Group of Eight industrialized nations and five key developing countries - China, India, Brazil, Mexico and South Africa.

But German Environment Minister Sigmar Gabriel said the U.S. had spoken out against a global carbon emissions trading plan and recognizing developing nations' reforestation programs as part of combating greenhouse gases.

"We find that very regrettable," Gabriel said.

Kuenast suggested that climate change and energy sources should be made the key theme of the U.S. presidential campaign, citing how well California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has done with those issues.

"Schwarzenegger has shown that elections are won on these points," she said.

EU leaders last week agreed that the bloc's greenhouse gas emissions would be cut by at least 20 percent from 1990 levels over the next 13 years - and said they could fall by 30 percent if other countries join. They pledged that a fifth of the 27-nation bloc's energy would come from renewable sources by 2020.

Germany - which currently chairs both the EU and G-8 - hopes that the EU deal will set an example to others. The U.S. - the world's heavyweight polluter - refused to join Kyoto, which also does not include fast-growing countries such as China and India.