BRUSSELS, March 2 (Xinhua) -- European Parliament President Hans-Gert Potering urged the leaders from all European Union (EU) member states on Friday to tackle climate change in the upcoming EU summit.

    "The European Council on 8 March is an occasion to demonstrate our commitment to combat Climate Change," Potering told a joint meeting between the European Commission and the European Parliament.

    "The European Union has taken a lead in this area and should convince other countries in the world to join these efforts," he added.

    He urged the EU summit to adopt a binding target for 25 percent of EU energy consumption to come from renewables by 2020, as well as a 30 percent reduction of CO2 emissions by the same date.

    "Climate Change is not only a political challenge but it is also a question of taking morally responsible decisions which consider our duty to future generations," he said.

    The upcoming EU Spring summit, to be held on Sept. 8-9, sets climate change as its top agenda and the EU leaders are expected to make a political statement on the issue.