Spain and Netherlands among countries to buy way to green targets

Up to nine EU countries may buy their way to achieving targets set under an international climate change treaty, with around €2.5 billion to be spent on purchasing emission-reduction credits from other countries.

The Kyoto Protocol, adopted in 1997, set binding reduction targets for 37 industrialised countries, to be achieved in the period 2008 to 2012.

The European Environment Agency (EEA) has assessed the achievements of its 33 members: the 28 EU nations, Iceland, Liechtenstein,...