The European Union's self-styled reputation as an environmental crusader is likely to take a bruising next week, when it will publish climate and energy goals expected to fall short of those demanded by some of its member states.

The long-awaited package from the European Commission on cutting greenhouse-gas emissions was meant by its architects to set an example of environmental sensitivity to the world's other major polluters ahead of a round of United Nations climate-change talks in 2015.

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