European Cities Tackling Climate Change

Fir and pine chips are piled high outside the electricity-and-heating plant in Vaxjo, Sweden Aug. 20, 2007. Vaxjo, a city of 78,000, has become a pioneer in the fight against climate change, with a target to cut emissions by 50 percent by 2010, 70 percent by 2025, and the long-term goal of becoming completely free of fossil fuels in the following decades. (AP Photo/John McConnico) (John Mcconnico - AP)

But it's doing what it can locally. So-called "green cars" running on biofuels park for free anywhere in the city. About one-fifth of the city's own fleet runs on biogas produced at the local sewage treatment plant.

Using biofuels instead of gasoline in cars is generally considered to cut CO2 emissions, although some scientists say greenhouse gases released during the production of biofuel crops can offset those gains.

Vaxjo has also invested in energy efficiency, from the light bulbs used in street lights to a new residential area with Europe's tallest all-wood apartment buildings. Wood requires less energy to produce than steel or concrete, and also less transportation since Vaxjo is in the middle of forests.

Although Vaxjo is tiny by comparison, the C40 group, including major metropolitan centers such as New York, Mexico City and Tokyo, has been impressed by the city's progress and uses it as an example of "best practices" around the world.

"They're a small town," Reddy said. "Apply that to 7 million? It's doable but its going to take a lot longer."

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On the Net:

City of Vaxjo: http://www.vaxjo.se

C40 cities: http://www.c40cities.org

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Associated Press Writer Jan M. Olsen in Copenhagen contributed to this report.