The European Union President Jose Manuel Barroso and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe have called on the world's largest greenhouse gas polluters to reduce their emissions.
Japan and the EU say they are showing global leadership on climate change, with the EU on Wednesday proposing a unilateral 20% reduction in CO2 emissions by 2020. In a recent speech in London, EU Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas said the EU would consider making even deeper reductions if other industrialised nations join in.
"The United States, China, Russia and India are the top national emitters of greenhouse gases. Of the top four, only Russia is part of the Kyoto Protocol which mandates cuts in greenhouse gas emissions in the 2008-2012 period.
International talks to extend the pact further have stalled."
