Brown wants deeper European emissions cuts

Britain's Prime Minsiter Gordon Brown gestures as he answers questions about the climate change summit in Copenhagen. File Photo: AP

Britain’s Prime Minister Gordon Brown is urging fellow Europeans to raise their bid on reducing greenhouse gas emissions to pressure the U.S. and others to do more.

His comments came on the second day of a historic climate conference as negotiators in Cophenhagen are digging into the technicalities of crafting a global warming deal.

Mr. Brown told

The Guardian newspaper on Tuesday he hoped the EU would pledge to cut emissions by 30 percent by 2020, compared to 1990. The EU’s current target is 20 percent cuts.

Government leaders will have an opportunity to make such a move at an EU summit this week in Brussels.

The Obama administration gave the climate talks a boost Monday by announcing steps that could lead to new U.S. emissions controls that don’t need the approval of the U.S. Congress.