The European Union (eu) was recently criticised for its contradictory policies on climate change and trade by the
Worldwide Fund for Nature (wwf). On June 28, it asked the eu to scrap anti-dumping
duties on Chinese energy-saving light bulbs. eu's plan not to extend the duties for five more years has been opposed by
lighting equipment maker Osram, part of the Siemens group. eu should take this opportunity to show that it is open to
"green" imports, said Eivind Hoff, a trade specialist with wwf in Brussels.
About 80 per cent of lighting in eu homes uses incandescent bulbs, even though new fluorescent lamps consume just
20 per cent of the energy used by a bulb, said wwf.So, a switch to fluorescent lamps could save 23 million tonnes of
emissions each year in the eu.
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