论文部分内容阅读
联合主办（United-edit）：
《WTO经济导刊》（CHINA WTO TRIBUNE）
商务社会责任国际协会（BSR）
联系人（Contact Us）：
黄宜玲 电话（Tel）：＋86 20 38910690yhuang@bsr.org
崔征 电话（Tel）：＋86 10 62137913 editor@csr-china.net
一周要闻
奥巴马的下一步行动：履行竞选承诺
将于明年1月上任的美国当选总统奥巴马在兑现竞选承诺时面临着来自几个不同利益群体的压力。奥巴马的竞选承诺中，包含一系列应对可持续的挑战，例如健康、气候变化、能源独立、产品安全和劳工问题。奥巴马的首要任务将是经济复苏计划，以使企业渡过难关恢复正常运营，减少失业。奥巴马面临的另一挑战是如何兑现在今后10年投入1500亿美元开发可再生能源的承诺。此外，奥巴马还面临着资金不足的消费者产品安全委员会的改革以使其成为更严厉的监管者和为消费者提供更有用的资源。
G20国集团敦促监管改革以维护自由市场原则
面对近几十年以来最严重的经济危机，分别代表发达国家和主要新兴市场国家的G20领导人，日前在华盛顿特区会面寻求为振兴经济寻找方案。尽管肯定要在加强监管方面实施更多的改革和加强国际合作，G20国集团仍表现出对自由市场原则的信心，并不认为有必要组建一个国际监管机构。在一份5页的公报中，既给出一般原则也提供了一些具体步骤， G20领导人要求监管机构要求银行留出更多的流动性缓冲资金、评估风险管理操作并提高对某些高风险投资活动的资本金要求，并检查支付执行情况。
全球投资者呼吁为应对气候变化采取行动
超过130名金融机构投资者，拥有6000亿美元的资金，呼吁富裕国家减少其二氧化碳排放并推动清洁能源技术。在向政府提交的一份声明中，投资者敦促发达国家应设定目标，即以1990年为排放基准，到2020年减少25－40％的温室气体排放，到2050年达到减少80－95％的排放量。同时，投资者们希望政策制定者提供一个更加扩大且流动性较高的全球碳市场。他们还呼吁美国证券交易委员会强制上市公司在披露影响其业务的因素时一并披露气候变化的相关风险对业务产生影响的影响。
报告精粹
关注全球供应链中的移民劳工问题
商务社会责任国际协会发布《国际劳工问题：负责任企业的作用》报告，强调全球化中一个常被忽视的要素：在新兴经济市场中劳工的相互流动。报告唤起企业对国际供应链中的劳工流动问题的关注，并建议企业如何改善移民劳工的工作条件和加强供应商的雇佣条件。商务社会责任国际协会在报告中提供了一个三步法，有助于企业参与国际劳工问题： 完善公司的教育、与供应商合作、扩大公司的影响力。完整报告请在以下地址下载：www.bsr.org/reports/BSR_LaborMigrationRoleforBusiness.pdf。
负责任的投资在减轻贫困中的作用
乐施会发布《负责任的投资：扶贫的力量——搭建一个辩论的平台》的报告，这是第一份有关分析机构投资者在减轻贫困中的作用的文件，并分析了在发展中国家进行长期投资的主要障碍。这份报告回答了为什么投资者在发展议程中扮演重要角色，为进一步的系列分析提供了框架，并确定了进一步分析将要解决的核心问题。完整报告请在以下地址下载：www.oxfam.org.uk/resources/policy/private_sector/downloads/responsible_investment_paper.pdf。
This Week's Top Headlines
Next Step for Obama: Delivering on Campaign Promises
With campaign promises that take on a number of sustainability challenges, such as healthcare, climate change, energy independence, product safety, and labor, U.S. President-elect Barack Obama faces pressure from several different groups to deliver when he takes office in January. Obama’s first priority will be an economic recovery program aimed at getting business back on track and people back to work. Obama also faces the challenge of delivering on his promise to spend US$150 billion over 10 years to develop renewable energy sources. Another challenge for Obama will be the transformation of the underfunded Consumer Product Safety Commission into a tougher regulator and a useful resource for consumers.
G20 Urges Regulatory Reform While Preserving Free-Market Principles
Facing the gravest economic crisis in decades, the Group of 20 leaders (G20)—representing developed and major emerging countries—met in Washington, D.C., to work on reviving their economies. While affirming the need for greater reform and increased international cooperation on strengthening regulatory regimes, the G20 action plan preserved faith in free-market principles and fell short of an international regulatory body. In a five-page communiqué that mixed general principles with specific steps, the G20 ordered financial regulators to demand that banks create bigger liquidity cushions, assess their risk-management practices, boost capital requirements for certain risky investment practices, and scrutinize executive pay.
Global Investors Call for Action on Climate Change
More than 130 global institutional investors holding more than US$6 trillion in assets called on rich countries to cut their carbon emissions and promote clean technology. In a statement sent to governments, investors urged developed countries to set targets compared to 1990 levels to reduce emissions by 25 to 40 percent by 2020, and by 80 to 95 percent by 2050. Additionally, investors want policymakers to provide an expanded and more liquid global carbon market. They also called on the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission to force publicly traded companies to disclose climate-related risks along with other factors that affect their business.
Report Corner
Addressing Migrant Labor in Global Supply Chains
Business for Social Responsibility’s “International Labor Migration: A Role for Responsible Business” report addresses an element of globalization often overlooked: migration of workers between emerging economies. This report increases business awareness about labor migration in international supply chains and provides recommendations for businesses to improve working conditions for migrant workers and strengthen the suppliers that employ them. BSR proposes a three-step process for companies to engage on labor migration: educate yourself, engage with your suppliers, and expand your influence. Download the full report here: www.bsr.org/reports/BSR_LaborMigrationRoleforBusiness.pdf.
Responsible Investment’s Role in Poverty Alleviation
Oxfam’s “Responsible Investment: A Force for Poverty Alleviation. Framing the Debate” is the first of a series of papers analyzing institutional investors’ role in poverty alleviation and indentifying the key barriers to long-term investment in developing countries. This report makes the case for why investors are critical to the development agenda, provides an analytical framework for the rest of the series, and identifies the core questions the series will explore. The full report is available here: www.oxfam.org.uk/resources/policy/private_sector/downloads/responsible_investment_paper.pdf.
联合主办（United-edit）：
《WTO经济导刊》（CHINA WTO TRIBUNE）
欧洲企业社会责任协会（CSR EUROPE）
联系人（Contact Us）：
Nathalie Suvee 电话（Tel）：＋32 2 541 1610 nathalie.suvee@csreurope.org
崔征 电话（Tel）：＋86 10 62137913 editor@csr-china.net
CSR EUROPE 活动消息
欧洲企业社会责任协会和实验室的代表与欧盟委员会总干事探讨企业社会责任
10月27日，欧洲企业社会责任协会和CSR实验室的代表发起了一场小型的讨论会，欧盟委员会下设司、局的18名高层代表参与。此次活动的目的是提供欧洲CSR联盟下开展项目的进展情况，分享CSR实验室的成果。此外还致力于探寻企业社会责任管理工具和创新之间进一步的协调发展，以及欧盟政策和项目的细化，从而支持促进增长与就业和可持续发展的欧盟战略。更多信息请联系Jan Noterdaeme，邮箱是jn@csreurope.org。
CSR EUROPE会员新闻
巴斯夫赢得欧洲碳平衡奖项
2008年10月4日，巴斯夫因其在碳平衡方面的贡献赢得了欧洲化学工业协会（CEFIC）颁发的欧洲责任关怀奖。评委认为巴斯夫的项目提供了一项高度创新的碳衡量方法。2008年2月，巴斯夫成为世界上首家在其全部的化学品业务中引用一项全面碳平衡方案的公司。结果显示，巴斯夫的产品可以减少3倍以上的温室气体排放量，这个数量要高于公司产品整个生产和处置过程所产生的所有排放。
可口可乐和世界野生动物基金宣布一项
新的全球水保存和气候保护目标
可口可乐公司与世界野生动物基金合作，制定了新的全球目标在公司全球运营系统中提高水的使用效率和减少碳排放。这项合作还将促进可持续的农业实践和七个世界上最重要的淡水流域的养护，包括长江、湄公河、多瑙河、格兰德河等。
雀巢公司在北京设立研发中心
致力于食品安全和消费者健康
日前雀巢公司在北京开设了一个新的研发中心，中心的工作集中在确保食品安全和质量，开展有关营养和科学生活、食品技术、食品处理和包装方面的研究，以有利于消费者健康的三个关键因素——生长发育、健康变老和体重管理。雀巢是第一家在中国设立全面关注基础研究和产品发展研发中心的西方食品和饮料公司。
阿根廷大众汽车公司发起一项在小学开展
交通安全教育的项目
阿根廷道路安全状况十分糟糕，据一项国际统计显示，阿根廷是全球仅次于墨西哥排在第二位的交通事故状况最差的国家，35岁以下的人最常见的死亡原因即是交通事故。为了唤起人们对这一问题的重视，阿根廷大众公司发起一项针对布宜诺斯艾利斯和科尔多瓦地区200家小学覆盖12万名学生的交通安全教育项目。作为项目的一部分，学校将会采用经过教育部正式认证的游戏，通过参与的方式让学生了解道路交通安全问题的重要性。
欧盟观察（来自欧盟的最新动态）
欧盟15个成员国开始行动以满足京都议定书目标
欧盟观察报道，15个欧盟最“老”的成员国已经着手开始温室气体减排工作，以满足他们签署的1997年京都议定书设定的目标。这15个成员国作为一个整体，不包含2004年和2007年新加入的成员，应履行其集体的削减温室气体排放量的目标，即与1990年（基准年）相比在2008-2012年期间减少其温室气体排放量的8％。尽管丹麦、意大利和西班牙未能如期完成减排，但是其他15个成员国的表现足以完成集体目标。
NEWS FROM CSR EUROPE
CSR Europe and Laboratory leaders discuss CSR with Director－Generals of the European Commission
On 27 Oct., CSR Europe and representatives of CSR Laboratories held a lunch meeting with 18 highlevel representatives of the Directorate‐Generals of the European Commission. In follow‐up to a similar meeting last year, the aim of this meeting was to provide a progress overview on some of the projects carried out under the banner of the European Alliance for CSR, focusing on the outputs of the CSR Laboratories. The meeting also aimed to explore how to further develop synergies between CSR management tools and innovations on the one hand and specific EU policies and programmes on the other hand. For more information, please contact Jan Noterdaeme at jn@csreurope.org.
CSR EUROPE'S MENBERS NEWS
BASF receives European award for Carbon Balance
BASF was awarded the European Responsible Care® Award by the European chemical industry association CEFIC for its Carbon Balance on October 4, 2008. The judges commemorated the project as a highly innovative measurement approach that allows BASF to present a comprehensive carbon balance for its operations. In February 2008, BASF became the first company in the world to present a comprehensive carbon balance covering its entire chemicals business.
Coca-Cola & WWF announce new global targets for water conservation and climate protection
The Coca‐Cola Company, in partnership with WWF, has set new global targets to improve water efficiency and reduce carbon emissions within its system‐wide operations. The partnership also is promoting sustainable agricultural practices and helping to conserve seven of the world’s most important freshwater river basins, which include the Yangtze, Mekong, Danube, Rio Grande/Rio Bravo, etc.
Nestlé opens R&D Centre in Beijing, focus on food safety and consumer health
Nestlé has inaugurated a new Research and Development Centre in Beijing with a strong focus on food safety and quality. The centre will also work on Nutrition and Life Sciences research, food technology, processing and packaging to address three key consumer health benefits-growth and development, healthy ageing and weight management. Nestlé is the first western food and beverage company to create a full‐scale R&D Centre focusing on both basic research and product development in China.
VW Argentina launches programme for traffic education in elementary schools
The topic of road safety is a sad chapter in Argentina. International statistics expose the country as the second‐worst worldwide just behind Mexico, and road accidents are the most common cause of death for people under 35. To raise awareness on the issue, Volkswagen Argentina has launched a traffic education programme reaching 120.000 students from 200 schools in the regions of Buenos Aires and Cordoba. As part of the programme, the schools receive games which are officially certified by the department of education and allow students to learn about road safety in an engaging way.
Latest News Form the EU
EU－15 mostly on track to meet Kyoto targets
The 15 ‘old’ European Union member states are on track to meeting their targets for cutting greenhouse gas emissions that they signed up to under the 1997 Kyoto Agreement, EUobserver reports. The EU-15 as a whole, excluding member states that joined in 2004 and 2007, should meet its collective target of cutting greenhouse gas emissions by eight percent for the period 2008-2012 compared with 1990, the Kyoto agreement’s baseline year. While Denmark, Italy and Spain are behind in reducing emissions, the performance of the other EU-15 nations is enough to pick up the slack.
《WTO经济导刊》（CHINA WTO TRIBUNE）
商务社会责任国际协会（BSR）
联系人（Contact Us）：
黄宜玲 电话（Tel）：＋86 20 38910690yhuang@bsr.org
崔征 电话（Tel）：＋86 10 62137913 editor@csr-china.net
一周要闻
奥巴马的下一步行动：履行竞选承诺
将于明年1月上任的美国当选总统奥巴马在兑现竞选承诺时面临着来自几个不同利益群体的压力。奥巴马的竞选承诺中，包含一系列应对可持续的挑战，例如健康、气候变化、能源独立、产品安全和劳工问题。奥巴马的首要任务将是经济复苏计划，以使企业渡过难关恢复正常运营，减少失业。奥巴马面临的另一挑战是如何兑现在今后10年投入1500亿美元开发可再生能源的承诺。此外，奥巴马还面临着资金不足的消费者产品安全委员会的改革以使其成为更严厉的监管者和为消费者提供更有用的资源。
G20国集团敦促监管改革以维护自由市场原则
面对近几十年以来最严重的经济危机，分别代表发达国家和主要新兴市场国家的G20领导人，日前在华盛顿特区会面寻求为振兴经济寻找方案。尽管肯定要在加强监管方面实施更多的改革和加强国际合作，G20国集团仍表现出对自由市场原则的信心，并不认为有必要组建一个国际监管机构。在一份5页的公报中，既给出一般原则也提供了一些具体步骤， G20领导人要求监管机构要求银行留出更多的流动性缓冲资金、评估风险管理操作并提高对某些高风险投资活动的资本金要求，并检查支付执行情况。
全球投资者呼吁为应对气候变化采取行动
超过130名金融机构投资者，拥有6000亿美元的资金，呼吁富裕国家减少其二氧化碳排放并推动清洁能源技术。在向政府提交的一份声明中，投资者敦促发达国家应设定目标，即以1990年为排放基准，到2020年减少25－40％的温室气体排放，到2050年达到减少80－95％的排放量。同时，投资者们希望政策制定者提供一个更加扩大且流动性较高的全球碳市场。他们还呼吁美国证券交易委员会强制上市公司在披露影响其业务的因素时一并披露气候变化的相关风险对业务产生影响的影响。
报告精粹
关注全球供应链中的移民劳工问题
商务社会责任国际协会发布《国际劳工问题：负责任企业的作用》报告，强调全球化中一个常被忽视的要素：在新兴经济市场中劳工的相互流动。报告唤起企业对国际供应链中的劳工流动问题的关注，并建议企业如何改善移民劳工的工作条件和加强供应商的雇佣条件。商务社会责任国际协会在报告中提供了一个三步法，有助于企业参与国际劳工问题： 完善公司的教育、与供应商合作、扩大公司的影响力。完整报告请在以下地址下载：www.bsr.org/reports/BSR_LaborMigrationRoleforBusiness.pdf。
负责任的投资在减轻贫困中的作用
乐施会发布《负责任的投资：扶贫的力量——搭建一个辩论的平台》的报告，这是第一份有关分析机构投资者在减轻贫困中的作用的文件，并分析了在发展中国家进行长期投资的主要障碍。这份报告回答了为什么投资者在发展议程中扮演重要角色，为进一步的系列分析提供了框架，并确定了进一步分析将要解决的核心问题。完整报告请在以下地址下载：www.oxfam.org.uk/resources/policy/private_sector/downloads/responsible_investment_paper.pdf。
This Week's Top Headlines
Next Step for Obama: Delivering on Campaign Promises
With campaign promises that take on a number of sustainability challenges, such as healthcare, climate change, energy independence, product safety, and labor, U.S. President-elect Barack Obama faces pressure from several different groups to deliver when he takes office in January. Obama’s first priority will be an economic recovery program aimed at getting business back on track and people back to work. Obama also faces the challenge of delivering on his promise to spend US$150 billion over 10 years to develop renewable energy sources. Another challenge for Obama will be the transformation of the underfunded Consumer Product Safety Commission into a tougher regulator and a useful resource for consumers.
G20 Urges Regulatory Reform While Preserving Free-Market Principles
Facing the gravest economic crisis in decades, the Group of 20 leaders (G20)—representing developed and major emerging countries—met in Washington, D.C., to work on reviving their economies. While affirming the need for greater reform and increased international cooperation on strengthening regulatory regimes, the G20 action plan preserved faith in free-market principles and fell short of an international regulatory body. In a five-page communiqué that mixed general principles with specific steps, the G20 ordered financial regulators to demand that banks create bigger liquidity cushions, assess their risk-management practices, boost capital requirements for certain risky investment practices, and scrutinize executive pay.
Global Investors Call for Action on Climate Change
More than 130 global institutional investors holding more than US$6 trillion in assets called on rich countries to cut their carbon emissions and promote clean technology. In a statement sent to governments, investors urged developed countries to set targets compared to 1990 levels to reduce emissions by 25 to 40 percent by 2020, and by 80 to 95 percent by 2050. Additionally, investors want policymakers to provide an expanded and more liquid global carbon market. They also called on the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission to force publicly traded companies to disclose climate-related risks along with other factors that affect their business.
Report Corner
Addressing Migrant Labor in Global Supply Chains
Business for Social Responsibility’s “International Labor Migration: A Role for Responsible Business” report addresses an element of globalization often overlooked: migration of workers between emerging economies. This report increases business awareness about labor migration in international supply chains and provides recommendations for businesses to improve working conditions for migrant workers and strengthen the suppliers that employ them. BSR proposes a three-step process for companies to engage on labor migration: educate yourself, engage with your suppliers, and expand your influence. Download the full report here: www.bsr.org/reports/BSR_LaborMigrationRoleforBusiness.pdf.
Responsible Investment’s Role in Poverty Alleviation
Oxfam’s “Responsible Investment: A Force for Poverty Alleviation. Framing the Debate” is the first of a series of papers analyzing institutional investors’ role in poverty alleviation and indentifying the key barriers to long-term investment in developing countries. This report makes the case for why investors are critical to the development agenda, provides an analytical framework for the rest of the series, and identifies the core questions the series will explore. The full report is available here: www.oxfam.org.uk/resources/policy/private_sector/downloads/responsible_investment_paper.pdf.
联合主办（United-edit）：
《WTO经济导刊》（CHINA WTO TRIBUNE）
欧洲企业社会责任协会（CSR EUROPE）
联系人（Contact Us）：
Nathalie Suvee 电话（Tel）：＋32 2 541 1610 nathalie.suvee@csreurope.org
崔征 电话（Tel）：＋86 10 62137913 editor@csr-china.net
CSR EUROPE 活动消息
欧洲企业社会责任协会和实验室的代表与欧盟委员会总干事探讨企业社会责任
10月27日，欧洲企业社会责任协会和CSR实验室的代表发起了一场小型的讨论会，欧盟委员会下设司、局的18名高层代表参与。此次活动的目的是提供欧洲CSR联盟下开展项目的进展情况，分享CSR实验室的成果。此外还致力于探寻企业社会责任管理工具和创新之间进一步的协调发展，以及欧盟政策和项目的细化，从而支持促进增长与就业和可持续发展的欧盟战略。更多信息请联系Jan Noterdaeme，邮箱是jn@csreurope.org。
CSR EUROPE会员新闻
巴斯夫赢得欧洲碳平衡奖项
2008年10月4日，巴斯夫因其在碳平衡方面的贡献赢得了欧洲化学工业协会（CEFIC）颁发的欧洲责任关怀奖。评委认为巴斯夫的项目提供了一项高度创新的碳衡量方法。2008年2月，巴斯夫成为世界上首家在其全部的化学品业务中引用一项全面碳平衡方案的公司。结果显示，巴斯夫的产品可以减少3倍以上的温室气体排放量，这个数量要高于公司产品整个生产和处置过程所产生的所有排放。
可口可乐和世界野生动物基金宣布一项
新的全球水保存和气候保护目标
可口可乐公司与世界野生动物基金合作，制定了新的全球目标在公司全球运营系统中提高水的使用效率和减少碳排放。这项合作还将促进可持续的农业实践和七个世界上最重要的淡水流域的养护，包括长江、湄公河、多瑙河、格兰德河等。
雀巢公司在北京设立研发中心
致力于食品安全和消费者健康
日前雀巢公司在北京开设了一个新的研发中心，中心的工作集中在确保食品安全和质量，开展有关营养和科学生活、食品技术、食品处理和包装方面的研究，以有利于消费者健康的三个关键因素——生长发育、健康变老和体重管理。雀巢是第一家在中国设立全面关注基础研究和产品发展研发中心的西方食品和饮料公司。
阿根廷大众汽车公司发起一项在小学开展
交通安全教育的项目
阿根廷道路安全状况十分糟糕，据一项国际统计显示，阿根廷是全球仅次于墨西哥排在第二位的交通事故状况最差的国家，35岁以下的人最常见的死亡原因即是交通事故。为了唤起人们对这一问题的重视，阿根廷大众公司发起一项针对布宜诺斯艾利斯和科尔多瓦地区200家小学覆盖12万名学生的交通安全教育项目。作为项目的一部分，学校将会采用经过教育部正式认证的游戏，通过参与的方式让学生了解道路交通安全问题的重要性。
欧盟观察（来自欧盟的最新动态）
欧盟15个成员国开始行动以满足京都议定书目标
欧盟观察报道，15个欧盟最“老”的成员国已经着手开始温室气体减排工作，以满足他们签署的1997年京都议定书设定的目标。这15个成员国作为一个整体，不包含2004年和2007年新加入的成员，应履行其集体的削减温室气体排放量的目标，即与1990年（基准年）相比在2008-2012年期间减少其温室气体排放量的8％。尽管丹麦、意大利和西班牙未能如期完成减排，但是其他15个成员国的表现足以完成集体目标。
NEWS FROM CSR EUROPE
CSR Europe and Laboratory leaders discuss CSR with Director－Generals of the European Commission
On 27 Oct., CSR Europe and representatives of CSR Laboratories held a lunch meeting with 18 highlevel representatives of the Directorate‐Generals of the European Commission. In follow‐up to a similar meeting last year, the aim of this meeting was to provide a progress overview on some of the projects carried out under the banner of the European Alliance for CSR, focusing on the outputs of the CSR Laboratories. The meeting also aimed to explore how to further develop synergies between CSR management tools and innovations on the one hand and specific EU policies and programmes on the other hand. For more information, please contact Jan Noterdaeme at jn@csreurope.org.
CSR EUROPE'S MENBERS NEWS
BASF receives European award for Carbon Balance
BASF was awarded the European Responsible Care® Award by the European chemical industry association CEFIC for its Carbon Balance on October 4, 2008. The judges commemorated the project as a highly innovative measurement approach that allows BASF to present a comprehensive carbon balance for its operations. In February 2008, BASF became the first company in the world to present a comprehensive carbon balance covering its entire chemicals business.
Coca-Cola & WWF announce new global targets for water conservation and climate protection
The Coca‐Cola Company, in partnership with WWF, has set new global targets to improve water efficiency and reduce carbon emissions within its system‐wide operations. The partnership also is promoting sustainable agricultural practices and helping to conserve seven of the world’s most important freshwater river basins, which include the Yangtze, Mekong, Danube, Rio Grande/Rio Bravo, etc.
Nestlé opens R&D Centre in Beijing, focus on food safety and consumer health
Nestlé has inaugurated a new Research and Development Centre in Beijing with a strong focus on food safety and quality. The centre will also work on Nutrition and Life Sciences research, food technology, processing and packaging to address three key consumer health benefits-growth and development, healthy ageing and weight management. Nestlé is the first western food and beverage company to create a full‐scale R&D Centre focusing on both basic research and product development in China.
VW Argentina launches programme for traffic education in elementary schools
The topic of road safety is a sad chapter in Argentina. International statistics expose the country as the second‐worst worldwide just behind Mexico, and road accidents are the most common cause of death for people under 35. To raise awareness on the issue, Volkswagen Argentina has launched a traffic education programme reaching 120.000 students from 200 schools in the regions of Buenos Aires and Cordoba. As part of the programme, the schools receive games which are officially certified by the department of education and allow students to learn about road safety in an engaging way.
Latest News Form the EU
EU－15 mostly on track to meet Kyoto targets
The 15 ‘old’ European Union member states are on track to meeting their targets for cutting greenhouse gas emissions that they signed up to under the 1997 Kyoto Agreement, EUobserver reports. The EU-15 as a whole, excluding member states that joined in 2004 and 2007, should meet its collective target of cutting greenhouse gas emissions by eight percent for the period 2008-2012 compared with 1990, the Kyoto agreement’s baseline year. While Denmark, Italy and Spain are behind in reducing emissions, the performance of the other EU-15 nations is enough to pick up the slack.