Prime Minister presents the Latvian Presidency’s contribution to climate change mitigation to French President

On Thursday 19 March, Prime Minister Laimdota Straujuma i, in the presence of President of the European Council Donald Tusk i and President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker i, symbolically presented the Latvian Presidency’s contribution to controlling climate change to French President François Hollande i before the forthcoming Climate Conference in Paris in December.

The first Environment Council led by the Latvian Presidency took place in Brussels on 6 March. It was chaired by Kaspars Gerhards, Latvian Minister for Environmental Protection and Regional Development.

Following extensive debates, the EU Environment Ministers agreed on the EU’s contribution to post-2020 climate change mitigation. They approved the submission on the EU’s Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDC) regarding emission reductions of the EU and its Member States to the Secretariat of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. It stipulates that by 2030 the EU will reduce its emissions by 40% compared to 1990.

The decision adopted by the EU Environment Ministers is of particular relevance for international negotiations in preparation for the Climate Conference in Paris, said Kaspars Gerhards after the Environment Council.