POZNAN, Poland (AFP) — A landmark European pact on carbon emissions and fresh warnings from Nobel laureate Al Gore on Friday breathed fire into talks here aimed at unleashing a worldwide offensive on climate change.
"Our home, Earth, is in danger," Gore told the final day of the UN climate conference in Poznan, Poland.
"We are moving towards several tipping points that could within less than 10 years make it impossible to avoid irretrievable damage to the planet's habitability for human civilisation -- unless we act quickly."
But, said Gore, momentum was at last building -- in the United States, Europe, China, Brazil and elsewhere -- towards a treaty next year that could roll back the threat.
"Yes, we can!" the Gore said to a standing ovation, borrowing the campaign slogan from Barack Obama, who has vowed to sweep away President George W. Bush's legacy on climate change.
Gore's rallying cry came as ministers wrapped up 12 days of arduous, technical negotiations aimed at preparing the groundwork for the deal next December in Copenhagen.
Their work was given a major boost with news from Brussels that European Union (EU) leaders had agreed the most ambitious climate package of any economic power.
The EU was credited with saving the UNFCCC's Kyoto Protocol from oblivion after Bush refused to ratify it in 2001.
The 27-nation bloc's pact, setting down curbs in greenhouse-gas emissions by 2020, was a key test of whether it would continue to lead the way or flail in the face of the world's financial crisis.
"It is quite historic what has happened here," French President Nicolas Sarkozy said in Brussels. "No continent has given itself such binding rules that we have adopted with unanimity."
Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet, France's junior environment minister, told reporters in Poznan that the deal would send a powerful signal to the rest of the world.
"Beneath its outward unity, its political unity, Europe is very diverse, with very different situations with regard to energy and industry," she said.
"So if Europe achieves this, the world can also do it. Obviously, the means will be very different, but the goals eventually converge."
The EU package, the "20-20-20" deal, seeks to decrease greenhouse gas emissions by 20 percent by 2020, make 20 percent energy savings and bring renewable energy sources up to 20 percent of total energy use.
Sarkozy said the targets had not been diluted during negotiations amid calls by several states for amendments to the initial package at a time of recession.
Later, the Poznan conference was expected to decide that a mountain of proposals for the content of the Copenhagen treaty be honed down to a negotiation blueprint by next June.
Scientists point the finger for climate change at human influence, especially the burning of fossil fuels in power stations, factories and by cars, as well as through deforestation and agriculture.
Gigatonnes of greenhouse gases spew each year into the Earth's atmosphere, acting like an invisible blanket that stores solar heat and changes the climate system. By century's end, sea levels will rise, deserts will grow and storms floods and droughts could become more frequent.
Rich countries acknowledge their historic role in the problem but say emerging powers like China and India must also slow their surging carbon pollution.
Developing nations argue that the industrialised world should lead by example, and foot the bill for clean-energy technology and coping with the impact of global warming.
Activists said progress in Poznan was far too meagre on the core matter of stopping and then reversing the growth of dangerous carbon pollution.
"Industrialised countries are failing to live up to their historical and current responsibilities by not committing to steep, immediate binding emission reduction targets," said Stephanie Long, climate coordinator with Friends of the Earth International.
"Many are trying to deflect blame on to major developing nations," she complained.
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