Merkel voiced support for European Commission proposals to cut greenhouse-gas emissions in the 27-nation bloc by 20% by 2020 — and 30% if other big industrial nations join in.
"Despite the fact that we represent only 20% of the [EU] population and about one-fourth of its emissions," she said, "the German government committed under Kyoto to 75% of the [EU] reduction [between 1990 and 2012] because of German unification. In the next period this cannot be repeated."
