Brussels, 26/06/2009 (Agence Europe) - Apart from the UN conference on climate change in Copenhagen, which is the priority of the incoming Swedish Presidency (see related article), the other main points on the environmental agenda for the next six months were set out for EU environment ministers by Swedish Environment Minister Andreas Carlgren in Luxembourg on 25 June. Along the priorities are:
Eco-efficiency: “We want to do all we can to get Europe out of the economic crisis, and also ensure that this crisis is seen as a good reason for decisive action, to invest well, to take good economic action,” Carlgren said. The Presidency hopes thus to lay the foundations of the new Lisbon Strategy for the next 10 years. The issue will be on the agenda of the informal Environment Council of 24-25 July;
Biodiversity: “We will spare no effort to reach a post-2010 European proposal so that Europe can make a genuine contribution to negotiations at the United Nations Convention on biological diversity next year,” said the future Environment Council President;
Protection of the environment in the Baltic Sea: channelling efforts on strong initiatives in this region is the aim of the incoming Swedish Presidency “so that it can serve as an example of regional cooperation in one of the most polluted regions of Europe, in one of the most polluted seas in the world, which has, as its surrounding countries, the richest countries in the world,” Carlgren stated. (A.N./transl.rt)