The European Union's Environment Commissioner has revealed that he is aiming to see a 30 per cent reduction in emissions across the continent by 2020.

Stavros Dimas has announced that he is planning the target as part of an effort to ensure European Union member states are doing their part to tackle the threat of climate change.

The move is likely to have a significant impact on automotive manufacturers in Europe, as member states are likely to put significant pressure on automakers to reduce the emissions from their vehicles to meet the target.

Mr Dimas is set to unveil the plan as part of a wider scheme to tackle climate change and reduce the amount of pollution the EU member states are producing.

However, Mr Dimas did not go into any further details on the plan, simply commenting: "There are a lot of ways to define a 30 per cent target".

The Commissioner's proposals are in line with previous statements from the EU, which has often suggested developed nations should be aiming to cut harmful emissions by between 15 and 30 per cent by the end of the next decade.

The European Commission is due to set out its plan for tackling climate change post-2012 in early January.

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