Spaans voorzitterschap: 'industrie positief over groene economie'
The environmental experts and trade union and industry representatives present at the meeting made it clear that they share a commitment to building a sustainable, low-carbon economy as speedily as possible through continued efforts. They also called for further action to achieve this goal, according to the Spanish State Secretary for Climate Change, Teresa Ribera, who chairs the Informal Council of EU Environment Ministers currently being held in Seville.
The experts and representatives who explained their views to the European ministers present at the first working session of the Informal Council were Antonio Brufau, Chairman of the Spanish Energy Club; John Hontelez, Secretary General of the European Environmental Bureau; Joël Decaillon, Secretary for Sustainable Development of the European Trade Union Confederation; Achim Steiner, Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme; and Peter Kind, Director of the Institute for Prospective Technological Studies.
Speaking after the meeting, Teresa Ribera said she was “optimistic” about the views put forward in the first working session, although “we are aware that great challenges still lie ahead”. She also expressed her satisfaction at the fact that the different industries and workers’ organisations view the changes needed in the production model to fight climate change as an opportunity rather than a threat.
She stressed the high level of agreement on environmental objectives, stating that “We have a fantastic opportunity before us. The environment lies at the very heart of global-scale transformation.”
Questioned about the role of the UN in environmental matters, Teresa Ribero said the organisation constitutes the best forum in which to debate such issues on account of its global nature. She added that any other forums of a sectorial or regional scope should be supplementary to the UN.
After stating that the Union’s environment ministers should “supervise the management and protection of environmental resources”, the Spanish State Secretary for Climate Change drew attention to the enhanced role environmental resources will play over the coming years.
Teresa Ribera announced that in the afternoon session the representatives of the EU delegations will carry out an internal analysis of the best interpretation and the first steps to be taken following the Copenhagen Summit, “which is an outstanding basis on which to continue building the future”. The representatives will also discuss ways to speed up the implementation of the conclusions reached in the Copenhagen meeting and to facilitate the incorporation of the objectives with a view to the next summit, which will be held in Mexico.
Seville’s Congress Centre, where the Informal Council of EU Environment Ministers is taking place, received the visit of the mayor of the city, Alfredo Sánchez Monteseirín, who arrived by bicycle at the close of the first working session and was met at the site entrance by the Spanish State Secretary.
Speaking to the press, the mayor pointed out that Seville has the best record for polluting emissions reduction in Spain thanks to initiatives such as the city’s underground railway and tram systems and the pedestrianisation programme.