Brussels, 20/09/2005 (Agence Europe) - Stavros Dimas, European Commissioner for the Environment, is to take part in the informal ministerial meeting on the climate being held by the Canadian government in Ottawa on 23 and 24 September. Stéphane Dion, the Canadian environment Minister, has invited his counterparts from the whole world to discuss "reaching a joint understanding of global future actions against climate change". Discussions will focus on possible conceptions for the international regime governing the intensification of efforts, the use of instruments based on the market, the full exploitation of green technologies already available and the development of new eco-technologies.
This international meeting will allow Commissioner Dimas to sound out the parties to the United Nations Framework Convention, who will be meeting again in Canada this November (COP 11, in Montreal) to resume negotiations on new commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions after 2012 (when the second commitment period of the Kyoto protocol comes to an end). The Commission also intends to take the opportunity afforded by the bilateral talks to plead for the involvement of as many countries as possible in stepping up this global fight.
"Europe and Canada both experienced serious droughts this summer and in Europe, we also suffered from devastating fires and floods. These occurrences underline the need for more determined international action to attack global warming", said Stavros Dimas before he left for Ottawa.