The European Union laid out a new energy strategy, which calls for member countries to derive half their energy from low-carbon sources within the next two decades. The strategy identifies three core objectives, including sustainable development. The others are security and competitiveness.

The plan outlines six specific goals, two of which deal with issues of sustainability and the environment. It calls for countries to develop a “sustainable, efficient and diverse energy mix,” and it “suggests a series of measures to address the challenges of global warming.” EU Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said there was a “great feeling of urgency” about the energy initiatives for Europe, and that countries should not rule out any potential energy sources, including nuclear.

The new EU policy also calls for innovations in energy efficiency, and cites global warming as a key challenge.

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