Environment commissioner Stavros Dimas is meeting with the US government in Washington on 15-16 February to negotiate a global response to what is recognised as a global problem. And while Kyoto initiated the process for cutting greenhouse gas emissions responsible for global warming, much remains to be done.

To avoid irreversible damage to our planet, scientists tell us that the earth’s temperature must not heat up more than 2°C above pre‑industrial levels. Achieving this is one of the EU’s main objectives and the reason it is calling for developed countries to reduce their emissions to 30% below 1990 levels by 2020.

As the latest report by the intergovernmental panel on climate change confirms, human activity is largely to blame for the devastation wrought by climate change, in the form of increased storms, floods, droughts and heat waves. As part of the EU’s "You control climate change" campaign, TV weather presenters across Europe will be giving us practical tips so that we can also make a difference – installing energy-efficient lamps and recycling waste are just a couple of examples.

External relations commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner will also be trying to rally Indian leaders to intensify EU-India cooperation on climate change during her trip to Delhi and Mumbai on 16-20 February. The idea would be to develop clean coal technologies, increase energy efficiency and promote environment-friendly energy sources.