The EU's environment PR challenge

The European Commission's conversion to the green cause has been rather sudden. The fight against climate change was not even on Brussels' list of strategic priorities this time last year while the whole of the first part of the five-year reign of the current commission was devoted to creating jobs.

But this was not the impression given during a meeting of EU leaders earlier this year. At their March summit, traditionally given over to economic questions, EU member states preached the g...