GUERNSEY should commit to reducing its greenhouse gases by around a third, according to Professor Nick Day (pictured).

He said the island should sign up to a 2020 target that has yet to be agreed by the European Union, but was likely to be a 30 to 40% reduction.

Although Guernsey has signed up to the Kyoto agreement that sets a target reduction of emissions by 12.5% by 2012, compared to 1990, the UK has signed up to a 34% reduction by 2020.

Recent figures released by the Policy Council suggest that Guernsey has more than met its target to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 2012 but these use a different methodology to calculate data.

Statistics for 2007 had shown a minimal year-on-year reduction, not enough to indicate the island would meet the Kyoto agreement unless things changed.

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