EU welcomes new Japanese pledge on emissions cuts

September 24th, 2009 Israel welcomes Russian stand on Iran sanctionsJERUSALEM — A senior Israeli official welcomes steps by Russia toward endorsing additional sanctions against Iran as a way of stopping its nuclear program. Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Daniel Ayalon said Russian President Dmitry Medvedev opened the door to a firm international stand against Iran.

September 22nd, 2009 Japanese PM pledges deep greenhouse cutsUNITED NATIONS — Japan's new prime minister is pledging a deep cut in greenhouse gases blamed for climate change. Yukio Hatoyama told world leaders gathered Tuesday a United Nations climate change summit that his nation aims to make a 25 percent cut in greenhouse gas emissions from 1990 levels by 2020.

September 17th, 2009 EU leaders chide US on climate billBRUSSELS — The European Union says the United States has to make deeper cuts in emissions as part of legislation currently going through the U.S. Congress. Sweden's Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt says while the 27-nation bloc welcomes the draft U.S.

September 17th, 2009 UN climate strategy puts talk ahead of deal-makingUNITED NATIONS — Gather a hundred heads of state in the same place, get them talking privately among themselves and hope a global climate pact starts to gel. That's the gamble the U.N.

September 8th, 2009 UK: Global deal on climate change at riskLONDON — Two British Cabinet ministers said Tuesday that attempts to broker a new global pact on climate change by the end of the year are at risk of failing. Hopes for an agreement being reached at a United Nations summit in December "hang in the balance," undermined by a climate of suspicion between rich and poor countries, said Foreign Secretary David Miliband, speaking at a press conference with his brother, Climate Change Secretary Ed Miliband.

September 7th, 2009 New Japan leaders vow 25 percent cut in emissionsTOKYO — Japan's incoming prime minister promised Monday to aim for a 25 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2020 — among the most ambitious cuts proposed by an economic power and significantly more aggressive than the current plan. The reduction, which will be measured from 1990 levels, was immediately hailed by environmentalists, who are watching target proposals closely ahead of a major international climate conference in December.

September 7th, 2009 Japan's likely next PM pledges big emissions cutTOKYO — The man expected to become Japan's next prime minister said Monday his government will follow through on a campaign pledge to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 25 percent by 2020. It is a more aggressive goal than the previous administration's, which would have only cut emissions by about 8 percent from 1990 levels.

September 1st, 2009 EU presses US on climate changeBRUSSELS — The European Union urged U.S. lawmakers on Tuesday to ensure the United States makes deep cuts in carbon emissions as part of negotiations to reach a new global climate change accord.

August 10th, 2009 Climate talks resume with new emissions pledgesAMSTERDAM —Wealthy countries are not going far enough to control greenhouse gas emissions, activists said Monday as delegates from 180 nations resumed talks on a global climate change pact. Beginning a five-day meeting in Bonn, Germany, negotiators began trying to whittle down a 200-page draft into a workable treaty that will bring the world's carbon emissions under control over the next decade.

July 20th, 2009 Campaigners say EU carbon trading is flawedBRUSSELS — Climate change campaigners claimed Monday that flaws in the European Union's carbon trading program could allow major polluters avoid any real reduction in greenhouse gas emissions during the economic downturn. Cap-and-trade forms the main plank of EU efforts to slash carbon dioxide output by a fifth by 2020.

July 5th, 2009 BRUSSELS - A year ago, the leaders of the world's eight leading industrialised nations promised that their children would fight climate change. This summer, they will have to show whether they are willing to do something about it themselves.

July 2nd, 2009 EU: China, India must make emissions cutsSTOCKHOLM — The chances of concluding a new global climate change pact remain dim unless China, India and Brazil make significant cuts in carbon dioxide emissions as well a senior Swedish climate change official said Thursday. Lars-Erik Liljelund, special climate change adviser to the Swedish government, said cuts from richer countries in the 27-nation bloc or planned cuts in the United States will not be enough to meet aims to cut at least 25 percent of emission from 1990 levels.

June 14th, 2009 Obama welcomes Netanyahu's two-state speechWASHINGTON — The White House is welcoming Israeli Prime Minster Benjamin Netanyahu's call for the creation of a Palestinian state. Netanyahu said in Jerusalem that he would support a Palestinian state as long it is demilitarized and guarantees Israel's security.

June 10th, 2009 UN climate chief: Rich nations short on CO2 goalsBONN, Germany — Japan unveiled a new target Wednesday for reducing greenhouse gas emissions 15 percent by 2020, but the plan was slammed by environmentalists and the U.N. climate chief as leaving the industrial world dangerously short of its pollution goals.

May 12th, 2009 Obama will hold health industry to savings pledgeWASHINGTON — President Barack Obama is telling health industry leaders he expects them to deliver on their $2 trillion savings pledge. In a letter the White House released Tuesday, Obama tells health care industry groups that he will hold them to their pledge to get it done.