Financial Crisis No Excuse For Inaction On Climate Change: EU

AARE, Sweden (AFP) – The global financial crisis is not a sufficient reason for inaction on tackling climate change, Swedish Environment Minister Andreas Carlgren said on Friday.

His comments came at a meeting of European environment and energy ministers organised by the Swedish EU presidency in Aare, central Sweden.

The Swedish environment minister told delegates that the current economic turmoil is “the deepest which we will experience during our lifetime.”

“(But) as you know, we should not be naive. There are those really arguing that this should make us more reluctant, should make us hesitate and maybe wait for real action,” Carlgren said.

EU Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas echoed Carlgren’s views, saying the crisis was “no reason to slow down” but more of an “opportunity for decisive action.”

Dimas said moving towards low-carbon economy would allow the 27-member bloc to take advantage of “the fast-growing markets for environment technologies, services and products.”

“We would also increase the security of our energy supplies,” he said.

It is under the Swedish presidency that the EU will finalise its joint position for international talks on climate change in the Danish capital Copenhagen in December.

The goal is to forge a global deal to tackle global warming after the existing Kyoto Protocol expires in 2012.

EU nations in 2007 committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 20 percent by 2020, compared to their 1990 levels.

Emerging economies such as India and China, however, have refused to commit to carbon emission cuts until developed nations, particularly the United States, present sufficient targets of their own.

They say any new global climate pact should not hinder the economic growth of developing countries.