HELSINKI (AFX) - French President Jacques Chirac called for EU and Asian countries to reach a consensus on measures to reduce greenhouse gases after the first phase of the Kyoto treaty expires in 2012.
The EU has committed to cut its emissions to 25 pct of current levels by 2050 and wants other developed economies to make similar quantified commitments, but the US is reluctant.
Chirac urged all of the 38 Asian and EU countries in the ASEM forum to define "national targets for improvements in energy efficiency between now and the end of the year".
He told the ASEM summit in Helsinki that energy security is closely linked to the problem of climate change, and he called for increased use of renewable and alternative energy sources, including nuclear power.
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