Brussels, 26/06/2009 (Agence Europe) - Meeting in Luxembourg on Thursday 25 June, EU27 environment ministers confirmed the main lines of the European position in international climate talks and the EU's determination to maintain its driving role to allow the UN conference in Copenhagen to be a success this December, under Swedish EU Presidency.
The subject, which was tackled over lunch, allowed Ladislav Miko, the outgoing Czech Council president, to inform his colleagues of the progress made in Mexico during the Forum of Major Economies where an agreement shaped up on the aim to reduce global emissions by 50% by 2050 and on Mexico's commitment - as an emerging country - to contribute to the collective effort by taking this long term objective on board. The exchange of views also provided an opportunity for Andreas Carlgren, Swedish Environment Minister, to linger over this priority of the upcoming Swedish Presidency, which is resolved to do everything it can during the next six months to bring about the conclusion of an ambitious global agreement in Copenhagen, within a very tight timetable and in close collaboration with the Commission. From next week, the committee of permanent representatives is expected to discuss the work programme up to the Copenhagen conference.
Commenting on this exchange of views before the press at the end of the session, Ladislav Miko said: “We are in a phase of preparation for the Copenhagen conference. I believe that the efforts made today give a good basis for the Swedish Presidency. It wish it every success and we shall do everything we can to support it. At the end of the session, I passed on the baton to the Swedish Presidency as a symbol of the relay race in which we are a part and the result of which, I trust, will be a successful Copenhagen conference”.
Andreas Carlgren said they had sound conclusions on climate that will serve as a base for negotiation. He went on to specify that climate change is one of the priorities of the Swedish Presidency's environmental agenda to start 1 July. “That is the message that I have passed on to my colleagues. We really want to achieve an ambitious, comprehensive result - an agreement that is a true success. There is no Plan B. We must succeed - and that is what we intend to do”, he said.
Speaking before the ministers and the press, Mr Carlgren stressed that the European objective is to reduce emissions by 30% compared to 1990 by 2020 “but the 30% reduction is not unconditional. We demand of others that they deliver sufficient actions and commitments, at a level comparable to that of the EU”. He went on to say: “Our decision to scale up the EU contribution is also our most important tool, a lever, to make the reset of the world prepared to do their part, in response to science. We cannot let go of this level, and move from 20% to 30% until we get sufficient commitments and measures from the rest of the world”. For now, he went on, other developed countries “seem to fall short of what is required”. The EU will demand of emerging countries that they do their part in meeting the global challenge to climate change by reducing their emissions from 15% to 30% compared to a scenario without effort. And the Swedish Presidency will seize every opportunity to speak of climate during summits with third countries (United States, Russia, China, India, South Africa, Brazil and Ukraine).
The informal environment council on 24 and 25 July in Åre will provide an opportunity for EU27 environment ministers to take stock of the results of the meetings of the G8 Summit and the Forum of Major Economies in July. Mr Carlgren sounded a note of caution, however: “Other Councils must contribute to the process, not the least Ecofin, but it is at our meeting on 23 October that I foresee a clear mandate for how the EU shall proceed in the negotiations. The European Summit on 29-30 October will treat all aspects of the negotiations in view of Copenhagen. We are of course prepared to call for extraordinary meetings if necessary”.
Contributing to the debate, the French delegation handed a written memorandum to the other delegations on the vision for a global Copenhagen agreement that was both “ambitious and balanced”, ensuring continuity with commitments under the Kyoto Protocol for 2008-2012, which includes all carbon flows, including aspects that are little or not treated by the Protocol (sustainable forest management, fight against deforestation and forestry degradation, soil use, adaptation, air and maritime emissions) and which would take the form of a new protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. “This memorandum is our idea vision of what the agreement should be. The aim is to bring together in a single document all the subjects that we believe are crucial, to serve as a box of ideas for the Swedish Presidency”, said Chantal Jouanno, Secretary of State for Ecology. Summarising the broad lines of the discussion, she cited two points: “We cannot allow ourselves to fail in Copenhagen” and “we must use a scientific base”. (A.N./transl.jl)