The EU said it was heading for 24-25% cuts in emissions by 2020 with current measures to fight climate change

The European Union says its emissions fell 4% last year, meaning the 28-nation bloc has already surpassed its target for 2020.

A report by the EU's environment agency said 2014 emissions were 23% lower than in 1990. The EU is the world's third largest greenhouse gas polluter.

The EU's goal is to achieve 20% reductions by 2020, but the report said the bloc is headed for 24-25% cuts with current measures to fight climate change.

It said the drop in 2014 "was partly due to an unusually warm year, which lowered energy demand".

EU climate commissioner Miguel Arias Canete called the results "a strong signal" ahead of a December climate conference in Paris that "Europe stands by its commitments and that our climate and energy policies work".