Swedish presidency intends to closely link climate and development dossiers during its mandate to culminate in Copenhagen conference

Thursday, 28 May 2009 07:32

The Swedish presidency will take over from the Czech presidency on 1 July, six months away from the world climate conference in Copenhagen. It has announced that it will develop a close link between the political fight against climate change and EU development policy. This is influenced by the fact that developing countries are the first victims of climate change without being the historical cause behind it.

Stockholm believes that is necessary to coordinate these policies coherently. This means that obtaining an international agreement in Copenhagen next December on the fight against global warming will significantly depend on the capacity of industrialised countries to contribute to the collective effort.

The Forum of Major Economies (17 countries account for 80% of global emissions) closed on Tuesday 26 May in Paris and stated: the EU's aim to reduce green house gas emissions for all industrialised countries by 2020 (compared to 1990 rates) has nothing in common with the US measure to reduce rates by 5%.

China says that it is completely insufficient and is counting on developed countries to collectively execute a cut of 40%, the highest figure in this band (between -25% and -40%) called for by the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).

(Source: Agence Europe)