European Union legislators have agreed to limit greenhouse gas emissions from big industries and create the world's first international emissions trading market, a member of the European Parliament said this morning.
If parliament endorses the agreement in a vote next week, from 2005, refineries and big factories in sectors including steel, ceramics and glass in the EU will have to limit their emissions of carbon dioxide or pay to emit more.
"With this measure the EU can demonstrate to the world that it is not simply talking about the problem of global warming but taking practical action to address the issue," British Liberal Democrat parliament member Chris Davies said in a statement.