The energy efficiency directives tentatively approved mid November by the European Union attracted attention – and praise from many quarters – for requiring almost all new buildings constructed after 2020 to perform to “near zero” energy efficiency standards.
 
The EU directives, which are expected to be formally approved in early 2010, are seen as important not only for their potential ecological and economic impacts but also for political reasons, since Sweden, the country now serving as president of the EU, has been eager to secure agreements on climate change initiatives in advance of the United Nations Climate Change Conference, set for December 7-18 in Copenhagen.
 
The U.S. delegation at the summit will offer a provisional pledge to reduce U.S. greenhouse gas emissions “in the range of” 17% below 2005 levels by 2020 and 83% by 2050 (http://tinyurl.com/yha847j). As the Times points out, that is a significantly weaker commitment than the EU’s, but still the first time in a decade the U.S. has held out the possibility that it would commit to targets for reducing greenhouse gases.
 
China announced a plan (http://tinyurl.com/yg2qf6q) to reduce the amount of carbon dioxide generated per unit of economic output by 40% to 45% compared to 2005 levels. Because the country already has energy efficiency standards tied to economic output, however, China’s newly revealed carbon-reduction plan appears to some observers to be short on ambition and long on pre-emptive manoeuvring for the Copenhagen talks.
 
The U.K. announced to adopt a minimum standard for the energy efficiency of zero-carbon homes that had been recommended by Zero Carbon Hub (http://tinyurl.com/yhgdf9r), a U.K. agency formed to further production of low-carbon homes. As noted in a U.K.-based Builder magazine (http://tinyurl.com/yfko9ef), the standard would set annual targets of 46kWh per square meter for semi-detached and detached properties and 39kWh per square meter for all other homes, producing a 20% to 25% reduction in carbon emissions over gas-heated homes compliant with current regulations.
 
Canada’s announced goal is to reduce emissions roughly to 1990 levels by 2020. Environment Minister Jim Prentice said that any drastic changes to that plan could damage the economy since the United States has adopted a similar target and indicated that a political agreement could be achieved at the Copenhagen conference, which begins Dec. 7, that would eventually lead to a new treaty to take effect after the first phase of the Kyoto Protocol expires in 2012. 

Several provinces have announced their own targets that go beyond the U.S. target. Quebec pledged to reduce emissions by 20 per cent, and was wven praised by California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger for showing leadership in its own climate change plan.
 
For many environmental groups, meanwhile, the pace of progress in developing carbon-emission initiatives – even the EU’s relatively stringent directives – has generated more dismay than delight.