Informal meetings of the environment and energy ministers
- from: 03.07.2008
- to: 05.07.2008
- In: Saint Cloud, Domaine national
The informal meeting of environment ministers, on 3 and 4 July in Paris, is followed by an informal meeting of energy ministers, on 4 and 5 July, and a working lunch with all the ministers on 4 July on the theme of climate change.
Environment
The "climate-energy package" will be one of the main topics of discussion between the ministers for the environment. On 23 January last, the college of commissioners of the European Commission adopted four texts aimed at allowing the European Union to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 20% between 1990 and 2020, and by 30% if the other countries made similar commitments.
To maximise the benefit of the exchanges, some of the debates will also be attended by representatives from civil society and industry. The debates will provide the opportunity to focus on the stakes for the international climate negotiations, the next step of which is the Conference of the Parties in Poznan in Poland at the end of the year, with a view to reaching an agreement at the Copenhagen Conference in December 2009. The debates will also facilitate in-depth discussions on the positions of the Member States, in the presence of the European Parliament, positions that the French Presidency seeks to reconcile to obtain a balanced agreement by the end of the year, and to enable the Member States to meet their targets.
There will also be a working session of environment ministers devoted to GMOs.
Energy
In March 2007, the European Council set a target of reducing the European Union's energy consumption by 20% by 2020 in relation to the foreseeable development. The stakes are high: contributing towards reducing greenhouse gases as well as our dependence on fossil fuels. This informal meeting aims to demonstrate the feasibility of practical measures to reduce energy consumption. It will be an opportunity to exchange experiences and examples of measures already implemented in the different Member States. The debate will be enhanced by the presence of representatives from civil society and industry.
The discussions will also examine the draft directive on renewable energies which is part of the Commission's "climate-energy package". This text transforms into national aims the objective set by the European Council in March 2007 to increase the share of renewable energies to 20% in the EU by 2020, with particular provisions for biofuels.
- Updated: 17.12.2008
