Carl Bildt: weinig onderwerpen zijn zo belangrijk als klimaatverandering (en)

Carl Bildt arrived in Paris on Tuesday, the first stop on the climate trip that he is undertaking through several European countries together with French foreign minister Bernard Kouchner and British foreign minister David Miliband.

In the evening the three foreign ministers gave a joint address on the theme “Can political action successfully address climate change?” at the Parisian university Sciences-Po. The presentation focused on the security policy consequences if we fail to curb global warming.

“During the Swedish Presidency we will do everything in our power to make the EU into the force that brings about a global agreement,” said Mr Bildt during the presentation.

The Minister for Foreign Affairs explained that climate change has had political consequences in the past, but never before have we seen the likes of what we are experiencing today. Mr Bildt said that he and Messrs Kouchner and Miliband, as foreign ministers, must step up their efforts and explain for colleagues around the world that climate change is not just a climate issue, but also most certainly a political one.

“Climate change affects stability and security in parts of the world that are key to global stability and security,” said Mr Bildt, who concluded by observing that few issues are as important as climate change.

Today, Wednesday, the three foreign ministers will travel by train to Rotterdam to visit a carbon capture test facility. They will then continue to Warsaw, where they will meet Polish foreign minister Radek Sikorski. In Warsaw they will look at various initiatives taken to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The trip will conclude in Copenhagen tomorrow, Thursday 10 September, where Messrs Bildt, Miliband and Kouchner and Finnish foreign minister Alexander Stubb will meet Danish foreign minister Per-Stig Møller.