OFF THE MARK.

Even with new policies to promote cleaner energy, the European Union (EU) will not be able to meet its Kyoto Protocol targets for reducing emissions of carbon dioxide (CO[2]), according to the International Energy Agency's (IEA) chief economist, Fatih Birol. IEA forecasts indicate that the EU could boost shares of renewable power such as wind and solar energy to 30 percent of overall electricity generation by 2030, but emissions would not be sufficiently reduced to meet climate change targets. Under the 1997 Kyoto Protocol, the EU must reduce emissions of greenhouse gases, of which CO[2] is the most important-by 8 percent of 1990 levels by 2012. IEA estimates that renewable energy policies would cut emissions by only 4.9 percent by 2010 and 19 percent by 2030, which still is an overall rise due to increased demand for transportation and the long life span of traditional electricity plants.