Brussels, 02/09/2011 (Agence Europe) - As work resumes after the summer break with an EU agenda dominated by the debt crisis and the future of Libya, Connie Hedegaard, European Commissioner for Climate Action, will be in the Pacific (5-9 September) to confront yet another emergency. She takes up her pilgrim's staff for the international fight against climate change in order to increase the chances of a successful UN conference in Durban (COP 17 at the end of the year). In Australia, then in New Zealand, talks will focus on preparing the conference. In Sydney (5 September), the commissioner will meet Greg Combet, Australia's Climate Change and Energy Efficiency Minister, the members of the Europe-Australia Business Council, as well as NGOs and other representatives of civil society. The moment is well chosen, as the Australian government prepares to promulgate a law to cut CO2 emissions which, while establishing a CO2 emission per tonne tariff, will be based on the polluter-pays principle. In Auckland (6-7 September), she will attend the annual meeting of the Pacific Island Forum (PIF), with José Manuel Barroso, President of the European Commission. She will also take part in a meeting of the states of the Pacific members of the ACP Group (Africa/Caribbean/Pacific), and will be the guest of honour at a dinner hosted by New Zealand's minister for the environment and climate change issues, Nick Smith. (A.N./transl.jl)