Hongaars voorzitterschap richt zich op duurzaamheid met het oog op toekomstige generaties (en)

The Hungarian EU i Presidency is committed to tackling the challenges of environmental protection. Its key priorities include the fight against climate change, the protection of sustainable water reserves, the preservation of resource efficiency and biodiversity. The Presidency will pay special attention to future generations and sustainable development.

The Union must continue to play a leading role in the global fight against climate change, said Ms Eniko Gyori i, Minister of State for EU Affairs, as she received the written position of the international environmental organisation Greenpeace on the EU Presidency’s green aspects in Budapest on 3 January 2011. The petition contains the organisation’s demands for the Hungarian Presidency.

The Presidency is committed to implementing the Cancún Summit’s outcomes, the Minister of State explained. It aims to continue the Union’s preparation for the 2011 climate talks with a view to developing binding measures by late 2011. During the Hungarian Presidency, the Member States are expected to renegotiate the issue of reducing the EU’s carbon-dioxide emission by more than 20%, and the Decarbonisation Schedule, a long-term plan expiring in 2050.

Sustainability at the forefront

The Presidency plans to remedy the issues of environmental protection in the spirit of sustainability and in the best interest of future generations, as Hungary builds its program of Presidency around human resources, the Minister of State said. Biodiversity is a common heritage which we must preserve for our children. Therefore, the Presidency wants to achieve that the EU adopt a post-2010 biodiversity strategy in the next six months.

The Presidency wants to point out the importance of tackling extreme water-related phenomena in an integrated and sustainable manner, Ms Gyori explained. As an additional issue in environmental protection, the Hungarian Presidency aims to promote the negotiations on the proposal for the public production of genetically modified plants.

Competitive, sustainable and secure energy

The Hungarian Presidency’s agenda will be largely determined by energy policy, an issue which deeply affects the population, the Minister of state mentioned. The aim is to develop a competitive, sustainable, safe and common European energy policy, in line with the Community goals related to energy security, renewable energies, energy efficiency and low-carbon economy. As an indication of its importance, this matter will be the subject of the European Council’s session in February 2011, pointed out Ms Gyori. The Minister of state for EU Affairs received the Greenpeace petition and delivered its representatives the Presidency’s small gift, a ball-point pen made from recycled paper.