Sweden aims to cut greenhouse gases 30 pct by 2020

STOCKHOLM, May 29 (Reuters) Sweden aims to cut emissions of greenhouse gases by at least 30 per cent by 2020, more than the European Union goal of 20 pe rcent, Environment Minister Andreas Carlgren said today.

He told daily newspaper Svenska Dagbladet that Sweden had pushed in recent EU negotiations for the larger cut in the gas emissions that are widely blamed for causing global warming.

''It would be unacceptable that we, who have worked so hard for this ambition in the EU, accepted a lower goal on our own part here at home,'' the newspaper quoted him as saying.

Leaders of the 27-nation bloc in March set a target to cut carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by 20 per cent by 2020 and by 30 per cent if other big polluters outside the EU agreed to join in.

Sweden emitted 67 million tonnes of greenhouse gases in 2005.

Emissions have fallen by about 7 per cent since 1990.

REUTERS NC ND1754