Spaans voorzitterschap wil aanpak klimaatverandering uitwerken in concrete maatregelen (en)

The Spanish Minister of the Environment and Rural and Marine Affairs, Elena Espinosa.

The Spanish Minister of the Environment and Rural and Marine Affairs, Elena Espinosa, appeared before the European Parliament's Environment Committee in order to set out the priorities of the Spanish Presidency of the EU, including the fight against climate change and the steps that the European Union must urgently take in order to apply the Copenhagen Accord. She said there was a need for "quick and effective progress" in international negotiations in the run-up to the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Mexico in November.

Ms Espinosa also referred to the Spanish Presidency's intention to progress the White Paper on adaptation to climate change in critical sectors such as soil protection, efficient water management, conservation of biodiversity, agriculture and fisheries. The White Paper sets out a framework for reducing the EU's vulnerability to the impact of climate change. It has been produced based on answers to a broad consultation undertaken by the European Commission in 2007 and other research projects recommending measures to be adopted in the short term.

She also underscored the importance of developing the energy and climate change package, which will play a key role in the next few years in the Community policy against climate change, especially in relation to EU regulations on emission rights and the need to regulate and control atmospheric pollutants to ensure they impact as little impact as possible on ecosystems and public health.

Some of the Presidency's priorities highlighted by the Minister for this six-month period include:

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  launching a review of various directives on electric and electronic waste to improve management of such waste, and to reduce its impact on the environment.
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  promoting EU regulations for recycling biowaste.
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  reaching an agreement on the directive on soil protection, which is critical to the environment and economic activity.
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  carrying out in-depth discussions and setting medium term objectives within the EU for combating biodiversity loss and the decline in natural resources. 2010 is the International Year of Biodiversity.
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  starting discussions on sustainable management of forests in order to combat the damage caused by phenomena such as forest fires, floods or landslides, based on the Green Paper drafted by the Commission.
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  promoting efficient water management in response to anticipated drought and flood scenarios.