A few weeks ago, the European Commission set out proposals that, if followed through, will result in member states taking on the strongest environmental commitments yet made by any governments.

The proposal is threefold: that the European Union should cut its greenhouse gas emissions by 20 per cent by 2020; that it should derive 20 per cent of energy from renewable sources by 2020, including taking 10 per cent of transport fuels from biofuels; and that energy efficiency across the bloc should be improved by 20 per cent by 2020.