As EU chair Sweden will boost climate, COP 15
Release Date: 2009-03-27
Prior to Sweden taking over as chair of the EU this summer, Minister for Environment Andreas Carlgren announces high ambitions.
Climate ”will be an absolute focus” as Sweden is to take over chairmanship of the EU by July 1st 2009, Minister for Environment Andreas Carlgren told foreign journalists at a press briefing in Stockholm.
As upcoming EU chair, Sweden is already a part of the EU troika leadership. This has brought Andreas Carlgren on missions to Tokyo and Washington along with talks with China – all to prepare an international agreement at the UN climate conference in Copenhagen this December.
“In Washington, we underlined the need for ambitious American targets (to cut greenhouse gas emissions). We also need a substantial deviation from “business-as-usual” – in the region of 15 to 30 percent – by major developing nations like China,” Mr. Carlgren told the journalists according to the Irish Times.
The EU has agreed to cut its emissions by 20 percent in 2020 – or even by 30 percent if the USA and other countries make similar cuts. Sweden has set its ambitions even higher, aiming at a 40 percent reduction in 2020 and achieving complete carbon neutrality in 2050. The means will be increased nuclear power combined with a strong build-out of wind power and carbon neutral fuels for cars.
| Type: | NORMAL |
| Company: | COP 15 |
| Country: | Denmark |
| Url: | http://en.cop15.dk/news/view+news?newsid=983 |