Brussels, 21/04/2005 (Agence Europe) - Two days of meetings between the EU Troika and key decision-makers have provided a new opening for EU-US cooperation on climate change. Last Monday and Tuesday, in Washington, Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas, the president of the Environment Council, Lucien Luxembourg of Luxembourg, and Lord Whitty, for the future British EU Council Presidency, urged Paula Dobriansky, Chief US negotiator on climate change and global issues, and James Connaughton, Chair of the White House Council on Environment Quality, for strengthened transatlantic cooperation in combating climate change (EUROPE 8931). In a press release, Stavros Dimas welcomes the results of these discussions which, he believes, “could well mark the beginning of a new phase of US-EU cooperation on climate change”. “We are ready to seriously discuss with our American partners the future of an international climate change regime after 2012”, the Commission continued, specifying that discussions “move beyond discussing technological innovation. We explored ways of future cooperation which include issues such as energy efficiency, renewables, the use of market-based instruments and adaptation measures”. Both parties thus plan to reactivate the work of the high level group which brings together American and European representatives to discuss policies to combat climate change and the broader environmental agenda.
Furthermore, Commissioner Dimas took part, in New York, in the 13th session of the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development, held from 20 to 23 April.