Deense milieuminister Ida Auken versterkt relaties tussen Europa en Afrika (en)

"We have established very important relations to the African countries", says the Danish Minister for Environment Ida Auken. Representing the EU as the head of the delegation of the rotating EU Presidency country, she participated in the Global Ministerial Environment Forum in Nairobi, Kenya this week, together with EU Commissioner for the Environment, Janez Potočnik.

An important step was taken towards a fully sustainable, international green economy. This happened when more than 70 ministers for the environment from all over the world convened in Nairobi, Kenya this week for the Global Ministerial Environment Forum at the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).

The ministers met to discuss the overall findings in the UN-report, Global Environment Outlook (GEO 5), which assesses the state of the global environment every five years. The forum takes place ahead of the Rio+20 conference for sustainable development in Brazil in June.

"I took the opportunity here in Nairobi to meet with a substantial number of central ministers - among others my colleagues from Brazil, South Korea, Columbia, South Africa and the Democratic Republic of Congo. We have met and discussed key questions related to achieving a good result in Rio+20. In particular, I think we established a very important relation between The European Union and the African countries when it comes to the important issue of green economy", says Ida Auken.

The challenges are growing

The meeting in Nairobi underlined the urgent need for action on the global scene, according to the Danish Minister. Ida Auken continues:

"GEO 5 about the state of the global environment is scary reading, because it lines up the many indications we see that things are heading in the wrong direction. It is a reminder to us all on how much the world needs that we initiate new concrete actions as well as we set up ambitious goals for how we create a global inclusive green economy when we meet in Rio."

The Minister points out the life threatening lack of water as one of the biggest, global challenges:

"The world is short of clean drinking water. Already in 2030, we will have a deficit of 40 percent of the water needed to satisfy the global population, if the current development continues. In other words, 2 billion people will be living in areas with a chronic water deficit in less than 20 years. This is why it is important that the summit in Rio will focus on water, and on how we can ensure a better use of global water ressources."

For further information please contact:

Project Manager Anders Rune Bjerrum, ph: (+45) 41 28 36 38, anrbj@mim.dk

Press Officer Katrine Nielsen, ph: (+45) 41 96 94 10, katni@mim.dk