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Europaudvalget 2000-01
EUU Alm.del Bilag 1000
Offentligt

Modtaget via elektronisk post. Der tages forbehold for evt. fejl

Europaudvalget

(Alm. del - bilag 1000)

miljøministerråd

(Offentligt)

_____________________________________________

MPU, Alm. del - bilag 961 (Løbenr. 14704)

EPU, Alm. del - bilag 515 (Løbenr. 14705)

URU, Alm. del - bilag 290 (Løbenr. 14955)

Medlemmerne af Folketingets Europaudvalg

og deres stedfortrædere

Bilag

Journalnummer

400.C.2-0

Kontor

EU-sekr.

26. marts 2001

Til underretning for Folketingets Europaudvalg vedlægges den svenske statsminister Göran Perssons og

kommissionsformand Romano Prodis brev til den amerikanske præsident George W. Bush vedrørende

operationaliseringen af Kyoto-protokollen, herunder genoptagelsen af den 6. partskonference under

klimakonventionen.

Letter from Göran Persson and Romano Prodi to President Bush

Stockholm, 22 March 2001

The President of the United States of

America

Mr. George Bush

WASHINGTON D.C.

Dear Mr. President,

We write this letter in order to express our deep concern for the risks connected with climate change. We also

wish to underline the commitment of the European Union to urgent action to reduce emissions of greenhouse

gases.

As you know, the great majority of climate experts, members of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate

Change, have already indicated that they see clear evidence of a human impact on climate. In the Third

Assessment Report they are warning for even more tangible negative effects than previously expected. The

consequences of climate change may have a detrimental impact on a great many countries. Storms and other

dramatic weather phenomena may become more abundant and cause considerable damage and injuries .

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The Kyoto Protocol, adopted in 1997, gave a forceful signal that all major Governments were taking climate

change seriously. This has led to important research and development of new and renewable sources of energy

and of innovative steps in the transport sector, including the automobile industry. But since a reduction in our

dependency on fossil fuels goes straight to the heart of the functioning of our industrial societies, there is no

doubt that this transformation will be difficult to achieve. Howeve r, looking at the challenges of climate

change, the transformation also offers many opportunities to modernising our economy which often lead to

overall economic advantages and which help to safeguard old and/or create new employment. It will require a

clear vision, political courage, and an extraordinary effort of international cooperation.

The European Council will, when it meets in Stockholm on 23-24 March, address the concern related to

climate change with a view to reaffirming its strong commitment to the Kyoto Protocol as the basis for

international action to reduce emissions and to urging all its negotiation partners to engage constructively in

reaching agreement on modalities for implementing the protocol at the resumed COP-6.

We would therefore like to emphasize that to the Union an agreement at the resumed session of COP 6, on

the basis of the Kyoto Protocol and leading to real reductions in green house gas emissions, is of utmost

importance. The global and long-term importance of climate change, and the need for a joint effort by all

industrial countries in this field makes it an integral and important part of relations between the USA and the

EU. A dialogue between the USA and the EU on how to facilitate a successful outco me of the resumed

COP-6 is therefore urgently needed and we would like to express the wish of the Union to initiate such a

dialogue at the highest level as soon as possible.

Göran Persson Romano Prodi