EXTRACTS:
ENVIRONMENT
COUNCIL CONCLUSIONS
1. Amsterdam 16-17 June 1997.
2. Cardiff 15-16 June 1998.
3. Vienna 11-12 December 1998.
4. Cologne 3-4 June 1999.
Annex A
PRESIDENCY ENVIRONMENT CONCLUSIONS
EXTRACT FROM AMSTERDAM CONCLUSIONS 16 AND
17 JUNE 1997
ENVIRONMENT
- The European Council reaffirms the commitment
of the European Union in respect of the Earth summit on Environment
and Development five years ago. The European Council is of the
opinion that the Rio Process needs to be accelerated to reach
a stage where world wide development is sustainable. To make this
possible it is of the essence that economic, environmental and
social policies are integrated and well co-ordinated. There are
two objectives of particular importance: the eradication of poverty
and the change of consumption and production patterns. The European
Union will play a leading role at UNGASS in trying to reach consensus
on concrete targets for sustainable development.
- The European Council reiterates the need for
a strong response to the risk of climate change.
- The European Council reaffirms that the negotiating
process to strengthen the Framework Convention on Climate Change
should result in a protocol to be agreed in Kyoto in December
containing legally-binding commitments to significant overall
reductions of greenhouse gas emissons below the 1990 level after
the year 2000 as well as common and co-ordinated policies and
measures.
- The European Union has agreed to propose, as
the Community's negotiating position in Kyoto, a 15 per cent reduction,
compared to their 1990 level, of the emission levels of the main
greenhouse gasses for 2010.
- The European Council discussed various environmental
initiatives and reaffirmed the Union's position in favour of a
Convention on the protection of forests.
|
|
